/iDafeers  ot  tnston? 


King  Philip 


BY  JOHN   S.  C.  ABBOTT 


WITH  ENGRAVINGS 


NEW  YORK  AND  LONDON 

HARPER    &   BROTHERS    PUBLISHERS 

1904 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  one  thousand  eight 
hundred  and  fifty -seven,  by 

HARPER    &    BROTHERS, 

in  the  Clerk's  office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  Southern  District  ot 
New  York. 


Copyright,  1885,  by  SCSA.V  ABBOT  MKAD. 


St. 


PREFACE. 


FEW,  even  of  our  most  intelligent  men,  if  we 
except  those  who  are  devoted  to  literary  pur- 
suits, are  acquainted  with  the  adventures  which 
our  forefathers  encountered  in  the  settlement  of 
New  England.  The  claims  of  business  are  now 
so  exacting,  that  those  whose  time  is  engrossed 
by  its  cares  have  but  little  leisure  for  extensive 
reading,  and  yet  there  is  no  American  who 
does  not  desire  to  be  familiar  with  the  early 
history  of  his  own  country.  The  writer,  with 
great  labor,  has  collected  from  widely-spread 
materials,  and  condensed  into  this  narrative  of 
the  career  of  King  Philip,  those  incidents  in  our 
early  history  which  he  has  supposed  would  be 
most  interesting  and  instructive  to  the  general 
reader.  He  has  spared  no  pains  in  the  endeav- 
or to  be  accurate.  In  the  rude  annals  of  those 
early  days  there  is  often  obscurity,  and  some- 


viii  PREFACE. 

times  contradiction,  in  the  dates.  Such  dates 
have  been  adopted  as  have  appeared,  after  care- 
ful examination,  to  be  most  reliable. 

The  writer  can  not  refrain,  in  this  connection, 
from  acknowledging  the  obligations  he  is  under 
to  his  friend  and  neighbor,  John  M'Keen,  Esq., 
to  whose  extensive  and  accurate  acquaintance 
with  the  early  history  of  this  country  he  is  in- 
debted for  many  of  the  materials  which  have 
aided  him  in  the  preparation  of  this  work. 
JOHN  S.  C.  ABBOTT. 

Brunswick,  Main*,  1857. 


CONTENTS. 


Chapter  P»f» 

I.    LANDING    OF   THE    PILGRIMS 13 

II.    MASSASOIT 46 

III.  CLODDS    OF    WAR 80 

IV.  THE    PEQUOT    WAR 110 

V.    COMMENCEMENT  OF  THE  REIGN   OF   KING   PHILIP    156 

VI.    COMMENCEMENT   OF    HOSTILITIES 187 

VII.    AUTUMN    AND    WINTER    CAMPAIGNS 220 

VIII.    CAPTIVITY    OF    MRS.  ROWLANDSON 254 

IX.    THE    INDIANS    VICTORIOUS 292 

X.    THE    VICISSITUDES   OF    WAR 321 

XI.    DEATH    OF   KING   PHILIP 353 

XII.    CONCLUSION   OF   THE   WAR 385^ 


ENGRAVINGS. 


PLYMOUTH  BAY,  AS  SEEN  BY  THE   PILGRIMS. Frontispiece. 

THE    FIRST    ENCOUNTER 26 

SAMOSET,  THE    INDIAN    VISITOR 48 

MASSASOIT    AND    HIS    WARRIORS 57 

THE    PALACE    OF    MASSASOIT 68 

THE    DEATH    OF   ALEXANDER 169 

THE    BATTLE    IN   TIVERTON 'JlO 

CAPTURE    OF    THE    INDIAN    FORTRESS 247 

CAPTIVITY    OF    MRS.  ROWLANDSON 270 

THE    DESTRUCTION    OF    SUDBURY 311 

THE    INDIAN    AMBUSH 315 

THE    DEATH    OF    PHILIP    .                                                             .  360 


KING  PHILIP. 

\ 

CHAPTEE   I. 
LANDING  OF  THE  PILGRIMS. 

Arrival  of  the  Mayflower. 

ON  the  llth  of  November,  1620,  the  storm- 
battered  Mayflower,  with  its  band  of  one 
hundred  and  one  Pilgrims,  first  caught  sight  of 
the  barren  sand-hills  of  Cape  Cod.  The  shore 
presented  a  cheerless  scene  even  for  those  weary 
of  a  more  than  four  months  voyage  upon  a  cold 
and  tempestuous  sea.  But,  dismal  as  the  pros- 
pect was,  after  struggling  for  a  short  time  to 
make  their  way  farther  south,  embarrassed  by 
a  leaky  ship  and  by  perilous  shoals  appearing  ev- 
ery where  around  them,  they  were  glad  to  make 
a  harbor  at  the  extremity  of  the  unsheltered  and 
verdureless  cape.  Before  landing,  they  chose 
Mr.  John  Carver,  "  a  pious  and  well-approved 
gentleman,"  as  the  governor  of  their  little  re- 
public for  the  first  year.  While  the  carpenter 
was  fitting  up  the  boat  to  explore  the  interior 
bend  of  the  land  which  forms  Cape  Cod  Bay,  in 


14  KING   PHILIP. 

Explorations.  Captain  Weymoutli.  Indian  captives. 

search  of  a  more  attractive  place  of  settlement, 
sixteen  of  their  number  set  out  on  foot  on  a 
short  tour  of  discovery.  They  were  all  well 
armed,  to  guard  against  any  attack  from  the 
natives. 

Cautiously  the  adventurers  followed  along 
the  western  shore  of  the  Cape  toward  the  south, 
when  suddenly  they  came  in  sight  of  five  In- 
dians. The  natives  fled  with  the  utmost  pre- 
cipitation. They  had  heard  of  the  white  men, 
and  had  abundant  cause  to  fear  them.  But  a 
few  years  before,  in  1605,  Captain  Weymouth, 
on  an  exploring  tour  along  the  coast  of  Maine, 
very  treacherously  kidnapped  five  of  the  na- 
tives, and  took  them  with  him  back  to  En- 
gland. This  act,  which  greatly  exasperated 
the  natives,  and  which  led  to  subsequent  scenes 
of  hostility  and  blood,  it  may  be  well  here  to 
record.  It  explains  the  reception  which  the 
Pilgrims  first  encountered. 

Captain  Weymouth  had  been  trafficking  with 
the  natives  for  some  time  in  perfect  friendship. 
One  day  six  Indians  came  to  the  ship  in  two 
canoes,  three  in  each.  Three  were  enticed  on 
board  the  ship,  and  were  shut  up  in  the  cabin. 
The  other  three,  a  little  suspicious  of  danger, 
refused  to  leave  their  canoe,  but,  receiving  a  can 


1620.]  LANDING  OF  THE   PILGRIMS.  15 

Enticing  the  natives.  The  seizure.  Trophies. 

of  pease  and  bread,  paddled  to  the  shore,  where 
they  built  a  fire,  and  sat  down  to  their  enter- 
tainment. A  boat  strongly  manned  was  then 
sent  to  the  shore  from  the  ship  with  enticing 
presents,  and  a  platter  of  food  of  which  the  In- 
dians were  particularly  fond.  One  of  the  na- 
tives, more  cautious  than  the  rest,  upon  the  ap- 
proach of  the  boat,  retired  to  the  woods ;  the  oth- 
er two  met  the  party  cordially.  They  all  walked 
up  to  the  fire  and  sat  down,  in  apparent  friend- 
ship, to  eat  their  food  together.  There  were  six 
Englishmen  and  two  naked,  helpless  natives. 
At  a  given  signal,  while  their  unsuspecting  vic- 
tims were  gazing  at  some  curiosities  in  a  box, 
the  English  sprang  upon  them,  three  to  each 
man.  The  natives,  young,  vigorous,  and  lithe 
as  eels,  struggled  with  Herculean  energy.  The 
kidnappers,  finding  it  difficult  to  hold  them  by 
their  naked  limbs,  seized  them  by  the  long  hair 
of  their  heads,  and  thus  the  terrified  creatures 
were  dragged  into  the  boats  and  conveyed  to 
the  ship.  Soon  after  this  Captain  Weymouth 
weighed  anchor,  and  the  five  captives  were  taken 
to  England.  He  also  took,  as  trophies  of  his 
victory,  the  two  canoes,  and  the  bows  and  ar- 
rows of  these  Indians.  Sundry  outrages  of  a 
similar  character  had  been  perpetrated  by  Eu- 


16  KING  PHILIP.  [1620. 

Necessity  for  caution.         Discovery  of  a  wigwam.         New  enterprises. 

ropean  adventurers  all  along  the  New  England 
coast.  The  Pilgrims  were  well  aware  of  these 
facts,  and  consequently  they  were  not  surprised 
at  the  flight  of  the  Indians,  and  felt,  themselves, 
the  necessity  of  guarding  against  a  hostile  at- 
tack. 

The  English  pursued  the  fugitives  vigorously 
for  many  miles,  but  were  unable  to  overtake 
them.  At  last  night  came  on.  They  built  a 
camp,  kindled  a  fire,  established  a  watch,  and 
slept  soundly  until  the  next  morning.  They 
then  continued  their  course,  following  along  in 
the  track  of  the  Indians.  After  some  time 
they  came  to  the  remains  of  an  Indian  wigwam, 
surrounded  by  an  old  corn-field.  Finding  con- 
cealed  here  several  baskets  filled  with  ears  of 
corn,  they  took  the  grain,  so  needful  for  them, 
intending,  should  they  ever  meet  the  Indians,  to 
pay  them  amply  for  it.  With  this  as  the  only 
fruit  of  their  expedition,  they  returned  to  the 
ship. 

Soon  after  their  return  preparations  were 
completed  for  a  more  important  enterprise.  The 
shallop  was  launched,  and  well  provided  with 
arms  and  provisions,  and  thirty  of  the  ship's 
company  embarked  for  an  extensive  survey  of 
the  coast.  They  slowly  crept  along  the  barren 


1620.J  LANDING  OF  THE   PILGRIMS.  17 

The  return  of  the  explorers.  New  expedition. 

shore,  stopping  at  various  points,  but  they  could 
meet  with  no  natives,  and  could  find  no  harbor 
for  their  ship,  and  no  inviting  place  for  a  settle- 
ment. Drifting  sands  and  gloomy  evergreens, 
through  which  the  autumnal  winds  ominously 
sighed,  alone  met  the  eye.  They  discovered  a 
few  deserted  dwellings  of  the  Indians,  but  could 
catch  no  sight  of  the  terrified  natives.  After 
several  days  of  painful  search,  they  returned 
disheartened  to  the  ship. 

It  was  now  the  6th  of  December,  and  the 
2old  winds  of  approaching  winter  began  to 
sweep  over  the  water,  which  seemed  almost  to 
surround  them.  Imagination  can  hardly  con- 
ceive a  more  bleak  and  dreary  spot  than  the  ex- 
tremity of  Cape  Cod.  It  was  manifest  to  all 
that  it  was  no  place  for  the  establishment  of  a 
colony,  and  that,  late  as  it  was  in  the  year,  they 
must,  at  all  hazards,  continue  their  search  for  a 
more  inviting  location.  Previous  explorers  had 
entered  Cape  Cod  Bay,  and  had  given  a  general 
idea  of  the  sweep  of  the  coast. 

A  new  expedition  was  now  energetically  or- 
ganized, to  proceed  with  all  speed  in  a  boat  along 
the  coast  in  search  of  a  harbor.  The  wind,  in 
freezing  blasts,  swept  across  the  bay  as  they 
spread  their  sail.  Their  frail  boat  was  small 
2—2 


18  KING   PHILIP.  [1620. 

S'.ght  of  some  Indiana.  Cheerless  encampment. 

and  entirely  open,  and  .the  spray,  which  ever 
dashed  over  these  hardy  pioneers,  glazed  their 
coats  with  ice.  They  soon  lost  sight  of  the 
ship,  and,  skirting  the  coast,  were  driven  rapidly 
along  by  the  fair  but  piercing  wind.  The  sun 
went  down,  and  dark  night  was  approaching. 
They  had  been  looking  in  vain  for  some  shel- 
tered cove  into  which  to  run  to  pass  the  night, 
when,  in  the  deepening  twilight,  they  discerned 
twelve  Indians  standing  upon  the  shore.  They 
immediately  turned  their  boat  toward  the  land, 
and  the  Indians  as  immediately  fled.  The  sandy 
beach  upon  which  their  boat  grounded  was  en- 
tirely exposed  to  the  billows  of  the  ocean.  With 
difficulty  they  drew  their  boat  high  upon  the 
sand,  that  it  might  not  be  broken  by  the  waves, 
and  prepared  to  make  themselves  as  comfortable 
as  possible.  It  was,  indeed,  a  cheerless  encamp- 
ment for  a  cold,  windy  December  night.  For- 
tunately there  was  wood  in  abundance  with 
which  to  build  a  fire,  and  they  also  piled  up  for 
themselves  a  slight  protection  against  the  wind 
and  against  a  midnight  attack.  Then,  having 
commended  themselves  to  God  in  prayer,  they 
established  a  watch,  and  sought  such  repose  as 
fatigue  and  their  cold,  hard  couch  could  furnish. 
The  night  passed  away  without  any  alarm. 


1620.]  LANDING   OF  THE   PILGRIMS.  19 

Discoveries.  Quaint  description  of  the  huts. 

In  the  morning  they  divided  their  numbers,  one 
half  taking  the  boat,  and  the  others  following 
along  upon  foot  on  the  shore.  Thus  they  con- 
tinued their  explorations  another  day,  but  could 
find  no  suitable  place  for  a  settlement.  During 
the  day  they  saw  many  traces  of  inhabitants, 
but  did  not  obtain  sight  of  a  single  native. 

They  found  two  houses,  from  which  the  oc- 
pants  had  evidently  but  recently  escaped.  The 
following  is  the  description  which  the  adven- 
turers gave  of  these  wigwams,  in  the  quaint 
English  of  two  hundred  years  ago : 

"  Whilest  we  were  thus  ranging  and  search- 
ing, two  of  the  Saylers  which  were  newly  come 
on  the  shore  by  chance  espied  two  houses  which 
had  beene  lately  dwelt  in,  but  the  people  were 
gone.  They  having  their  peeces  and  hearing 
no  body  entred  the  houses  and  tooke  out  some 
things,  and  durst  not  stay  but  came  again  and 
told  vs ;  so  some  seaven  or  eight  of  vs  went 
with  them,  and  found  how  we  had  gone  within 

a  slight  shot  of  them  before.      The  houses  were 
o 

made  with  long  yong  Sapling  trees  bended  and 
both  ends  stucke  into  the  ground  ;  they  were 
made  round  like  unto  an  Arbour  and  covered 
down  to  the  ground  with  tliicke  and  well 
wrought  rnatts,  and  t\ie  loors  were  not  over  a 


20  KING   PHILIP.  [1620. 

Interior  of  the  hut,  and  what  was  found. 

yard  high  made  of  a  matt  to  open ;  the  chim- 
ney was  a  wide  open  hole  in  the  top,  for  which 
they  had  a  matt  to  cover  it  close  when  they 
pleased.  One  might  stand  and  go  upright  in 
them ;  in  the  midst  of  them  were  four  little 
tranches  knockt  into  the  ground,  and  small 
stickes  laid  over  on  which  they  hung  their  Pots, 
and  what  they  had  to  seeth.  Round  about  the 
fire  they  lay  on  matts  which  are  their  beds. 
The  houses  were  double  matted,  for  as  they 
were  matted  without  so  were  they  within,  with 
newer  and  fairer  matts.  In  the  houses  we 
found  wooden  Boules,  Trayes  &  Dishes,  Earth- 
en Pots,  Hand  baskets  made  of  Crab  shells, 
wrought  together ;  also  an  English  Pail  or 
Bucket ;  it  wanted  a  bayle,  but  it  had  two  iron 
eares.  There  was  also  Baskets  of  sundry  sorts, 
bigger  *,nd  some  lesser,  finer  and  some  coarser. 
Some  were  curiously  wrought  with  blacke  and 
white  in  pretie  workes,  and  sundry  other  of  their 
houshold  stuffe.  We  found  also  two  or  three 
Deeres  heads,  die  whereof  had  been  newly  killed, 
for  it  was  still  fresh.  There  was  also  a  company 
of  Deeres  feete  stuck  vp  in  the  houses,  Harts 
homes,  and  Eagles  clawes,  and  sundry  such  like 
things  there  was  ;  also  two  or  three  baskets  full 
of  parched  Acorns,  peeces  offish  and  a  peece  of 


1620.J  LANDING  OF  THE   PILGRIMS.  21 

Good  intentions  not  realized.  Anether  stormy  night 

a  broyled  Hering.  We  found  also  a  little  silk 
grasse  and  a  little  Tobacco  seed  with  some  oth- 
er seeds  which  wee  knew  not.  Without  was 
sundry  bundles  of  Flags  and  Sedge,  Bull-rush- 
es and  other  stuffe  to  make  matts.  There  was 
thrust  into  a  hollow  tree  two  or  three  pieces  of 
venison,  but  we  thought  it  fitter  for  the  Dogs 
than  for  us.  Some  of  the  best  things  we  took 
away  with  us,  and  left  their  houses  standing 
still  as  they  were.  So  it  growing  towards 
night,  and  the  tyde  almost  spent  we  hastened 
with  our  things  down  to  the  shallop,  and  got 
aboard  that  night,  intending  to  have  brought 
some  Beades  and  other  tilings  to  have  left  in 
the  houses  in  signe  of  Peace  and  that  we  meant 
to  truk  with  them,  but  it  was  not  done  by  means 
of  our  hasty  comming  away  from  Cape  Cod  ; 
but  so  soon  as  we  can  meet  conveniently  with 
them  we  will  give  them  full  satisfaction." 

As  they  returned  to  their  boat  the  sun  again 
went  down,  and  another  gloomy  December  night 
darkened  over  the  houseless  wanderers.  No 
cove,  no  creek  even,  opened  its  friendly  arms  to 
receive  them.  They  again  dragged  their  boat 
upon  the  beach.  A  dense  forest  was  behind 
them,  the  bleak  ocean  before  them.  As  they 
feared  no  surprise  from  the  side  of  ihe  water, 


22  KING   PHILIP.  [1620. 

Morning  preparations.  A  fearful  attack. 

they  merely  threw  up  a  slight  rampart  of  l)gs 
to  protect  them  from  an  attack  from  the  side  of 
the  forest.  They  again  united  in  their  evening 
devotions,  established  their  night-watch,  and, 
with  a  warm  fire  blazing  at  their  feet,  fell 
soundly  asleep.  Through  the  long  night  ike 
wind  sighed  through  the  tree -tops  and  the 
waves  broke  upon  the  shore.  No  other  sounds 
disturbed  their  slumber. 

The  next  morning  they  rose  before  the  dawn 
of  day  and  prepared  anxiously  to  continue 
their  search.  The  morning  was  dark  and 
stormy.  A  drizzling  rain,  which  had  been 
falling  nearly  all  night,  had  soaked  their  blank- 
ets and  their  clothing ;  the  ocean  looked  black 
and  angry,  and  sheets  of  mist  were  driven  by 
the  chill  wind  over  earth  and  sea.  The  Pil- 
grims bowed  reverently  together  in  their  morn- 
ing prayer,  partook  of  their  frugal  meal,  and 
some  of  them  had  carried  their  guns,  wrapped 
in  blankets,  down  to  the  boat,  when  suddenly  a 
fearful  yell  burst  from  the  forest,  and  a  shower 
of  arrows  fell  upon  their  encampment. 

The  English  party  consisted  of  but  eighteen  ; 
but  they  were  heroic  men.  Carver,  Bradford, 
Winslow,  and  Standish  were  of  their  number. 
Four  muskets  only  were  left  within  their  frail 


1620.J  LANDING   OF  THE   PILGRIMS.  23 

Protection  of  the  English.  Power  of  the  Indians. 

intrenchments.  By  the  rapid  and  well-directed 
discharge  of  these,  they,  however,  kept  the  In- 
dians at  bay  until  those  who  had  carried  their 
guns  to  the  boat  succeeded  in  regaining  them, 
notwithstanding  the  shower  of  arrows  which  fell 
so  thickly  around.  The  thick  clothing  with 
which  the  English  were  covered,  to  protect 
themselves  from  the  cold  and  the  rain,  were  al- 
most as  coats  of  mail  to  ward  off  the  compara- 
tively feeble  weapons  of  the  natives.  A  very 
fierce  conflict  now  ensued.  The  English  were 
almost  entirely  unprotected,  and  were  exposed 
to  every  arrow.  The  Indians  were  each  sta- 
tioned behind  some  large  forest-tree,  which  ef- 
fectually sheltered  him  from  the  bullets  of  his 
antagonists.  Under  these  circumstances,,  the 
advantage  was  probably,  on  the  whole,  with  the 
vastly  outnumbering  natives.  They  were  wide- 
ly scattered  ;  their  bows  were  of  great  strength, 
and  their  arrows,  pointed  and  barbed  with  sharp 
flint  and  stone,  when  hitting  fairly  and  in  full 
force,  would  pierce  even  the  thickest  clothing 
of  the  English  ;  and,  if  striking  any  unprotect- 
ed portion  of  the  body,  would  inflict  a  dread- 
ful wound. 

For  some  time  this  perilous  conflict  raged,  the 
forest  resounding  with  the  report  of  musketry, 


24  KING   PHILIP.  [1620. 

The  chief  shot.  Disappearance  of  the  Indians. 

and  with  the  hideous,  deafening  yell  of  the  sav- 
ages. There  was  one  Indian,  of  Herculean  size 
and  strength,  apparently  more  brave  than  the 
rest,  who  appeared  to  be  the  leader  of  the  band. 
He  had  proudly  advanced  beyond  any  of  his 
companions,  and  placed  himself  within  half 
musket  shot  of  the  encampment.  He  stood  be- 
hind a  large  tree,  and  very  energetically  shot 
his  arrows,  and  by  voice  and  gesture  roused 
and  animated  his  comrades.  Watching  an  op- 
portunity when  his  arm  was  exposed,  a  sharp- 
shooter succeeded  in  striking  it  with  a  bullet. 
The  shattered  arm  dropped  helpless.  The  sav- 
age, astounded  at  the  calamity,  gazed  for  a  mo- 
ment in  silence  upon  his  mangled  limb,  and 
then  uttering  a  peculiar  cry,  which  was  prob- 
ably the  signal  for  retreat,  dodged  from  tree  to 
tree,  and  disappeared.  His  fellow-warriors,  fol- 
lowing his  example,  disappeared  with  him  in 
the  depths  of  the  gloomy  forest.  Hardly  a  mo- 
ment elapsed  ere  not  a  savage  was  to  be  seen, 
and  perfect  silence  and  solitude  reigned  upon 
the  spot  which,  but  a  moment  before,  was  the 
scene  of  almost  demoniac  clamor.  The  waves 
broke  sullenly  upon  the  shore,  and  the  wind, 
sweeping  the  ocean,  and  moaning  through  the 
sombre  firs  and  pines,  drove  the  rain  in  spectral 


1620.]  LANDING   OF   THE   PILGRIMS.  27 

Sudden  peace.  Devotions.  Departure. 

sheets  over  sea  and  land.  The  sun  had  not 
yet  risen,  and  the  gray  twilight  lent  additional 
gloom  to  the  stormy  morning.  Both  the  attack 
and  the  retreat  were  more  sudden  than  imagin- 
ation can  well  conceive.  The  perfect  repose  of 
the  night  had  been  instantly  followed  by  fiend- 
like  uproar  and  peril,  and  as  instantly  succeed- 
ed by  perfect  silence  and  solitude. 

The  Pilgrims,  as  soon  as  they  had  recovered 
from  their  astonishment,  looked  around  to  see 
how  much  they  had  been  damaged.  Arrows 
were  hanging  by  their  clothes,  and  sticking  in 
the  logs  by  the  fire,  and  scattered  every  where 
around,  but,  to  their  surprise,  they  found  that 
not  one  had  been  wounded.  Anxious  to  leave 
so  dangerous  a  spot,  they  immediately  collected 
their  effects  and  embarked  in  the  boat.  Before 
embarking,  however,  they  united  in  a  prayer  of 
thanksgiving  to  God  for  their  deliverance.  They 
named  this  spot  '•''The  First  Encounter.''''  The 
rain  now*  changed  to  sleet  of  mist  and  snow, 
and  the  cold  storm  descended  pitilessly  upon 
their  unprotected  heads.  A  day  of  suffering 
and  of  peril  was  before  them.  As  the  day  ad- 
vanced, the  wind  increased  to  almost  a  gale. 
The  waves  frequently  broke  into  the  boat, 
drenching  them  to  the  skin,  and  glazing  the 


28  KING   PHILIP. 

A  gale.  An  accident.  Approaching  night. 

boat,  ropes,  and  clothing  with  a  coat  of  ice. 
The  surf,  dashing  upon  the  shore,  rendered 
landing  impossible,  and  they  sought  in  vain  for 
any  creek  or  cove  where  they  could  find  shelter. 
The  short  afternoon  was  fast  passing  away,  and 
a  terrible  night  was  before  them.  A  huge  bil- 
low, which  seemed  to  chase  them  with  gigantic 
speed  and  force,  broke  over  the  boat,  nearly  fill- 
ing it  with  water,  and  at  the  same  time  unship- 
ping and  sweeping  away  their  rudder.  They 
immediately  got  out  two  oars,  and,  with  much 
difficulty,  succeeded  with  them  in  steering  their 
bark. 

Night  and  the  tempest  were  settling  darkly 
over  the  angry  sea.  To  add  to  their  calami- 
ties, a  sudden  flaw  of  wind  struck  the  boat,  and 
instantly  snapped  the  mast  into  three  pieces. 
The  boat  was  now,  for  a  few  moments,  entirely 
unmanageable,  and,  involved  in  the  wreck  of 
mast,  rigging,  and  sail,  floated  like  a  log  upon 
the  waves,  in  great  danger  of  being  each  mo- 
ment ingulfed.  The  hardy  adventurers,  thus 
disabled,  seized  their  oars,  and  with  great  exer- 
tions succeeded  in  keeping  their  boat  before  the 
wind.  It  was  now  night,  and  the  rain,  driven 
violently  by  the  gale,  was  falling  in  torrents. 

The  dark  outline  of  the  shore,  upon  which 


1620.]  LANDING   OF   THE   PILGRIMS.  29 

Discovery  of  a  shelter.  Preparations  for  the  night. 

the  surf  was  furiously  dashing,  was  dimly  dis- 
cernible. At  last  they  perceived  through  the 
gloom,  directly  before  them,  an  island  or  a  prom- 
ontory pushing  out  at  right  angles  from  the 
line  of  the  beach.  Rowing  around  the  northern 
headland,  they  found  on  the  western  side  a 
small  cove,  where  they  obtained  a  partial  shel- 
ter from  the  storm.  Here  they  dropped  an- 
chor. The  night  was  freezing  cold.  The  rain 
still  fell  in  torrents,  and  the  boat  rolled  and 
pitched  incessantly  upon  the  agitated  sea. 
Though  drenched  to  the  skin,  knowing  that 
they  were  in  the  vicinity  of  hostile  Indians, 
most  of  the  company  did  not  deem  it  prudent 
to  attempt  a  landing,  but  preferred  to  pass  the 
night  in  their  wet,  shelterless,  wave -rocked 
bark.  Some,  however,  benumbed  and  almost 
dying  from  wet  and  cold,  felt  that  they  could 
not  endure  the  exposure  of  the  wintry  night. 
They  were  accordingly  put  on  shore.  After 
much  difficulty,  they  succeeded  in  building  a 
fire.  Its  blaze  illumined  the  forest,  and  they 
piled  upon  it  branches  of  trees  and  logs,  until 
they  became  somewhat  warmed  by  the  exercise 
and  the  genial  heat.  But  they  knew  full  well 
that  this  flame  was  but  a  beacon  to  inform  their 
savage  foes  where  they  were,  and  to  enable  them, 


tJO  KING   PHILIP.  [1620. 

They  resolve  to  spend  the  Sabbath  at  their  camp. 

with  surer  aim,  to  shoot  the  poisoned  arrow. 
The  forest  sheltered  them  partially  from  the 
wind.  They  cut  down  trees,  and  constructed  a 
rude  rampart  to  protect  them  from  attack. 
Thus  the  explorers  on  the  land  and  in  the  boat 
passed  the  first  part  of  this  dismal  night.  At 
midnight,  however,  those  in  the  boat,  unable 
longer  to  endure  the  cold,  ventured  to  land,  and, 
with  their  shivering  companions,  huddled  round 
the  fire,  the  rain  still  soaking  them  to  the  skin. 
When  the  morning  again  dawned,  they  found 
that  they  were  in  the  lee  of  a  small  island.  It 
was  the  morning  of  the  Sabbath.  Notwith- 
standing their  exposure  to  hostile  Indians  and 
to  the  storm,  and  notwithstanding  the  unspeak- 
able importance  of  every  day,  that  they  might 
prepare  for  the  severity  of  winter,  now  so  rap- 
idly approaching,  these  extraordinary  men  re- 
solved to  remain  as  they  were,  that  they  might 
"  remember  the  Sabbath  day  and  keep  it  holy.'' 
There  was  true  heroism  and  moral  grandeur  in 
this  decision,  even  though  it  be  asserted  that  a 
more  enlightened  judgment  would  have  taught 
that,  under  the  circumstances  in  -which  they 
were  placed,  it  was  a  work  of  "necessity  and 
of  mercy"  to  prosecute  their  tour  without  de- 
lay. But  these  men  believed  it  to  be  their 


1620.J  LANDING  OF  THE   PILGRIMS.  31 

Plymouth  Bay.  Sounding  for  the  channel. 

duty  to  sanctify  the  Sabbath ;  and,  notwith- 
standing the  strength  of  the  temptation,  they 
did  what  they  thought  to  be  right,  and  this  is 
always  noble.  To  God,  who  looketh  at  the 
heart,  this  must  have  been  an  acceptable  sacri- 
fice. For  nearly  two  hundred  years  all  these 
men  have  now  been  in  the  world  of  spirits,  and 
it  may  very  safely  be  affirmed  that  they  have 
never  regretted  the  scrupulous  reverence  they 
manifested  for  the  law  of  God  in  keeping  the 
Sabbath  in  the  stormy  wilderness. 

With  the  early  light  of  Monday  morning 
they  repaired  their  shattered  boat,  and,  spread- 
ing their  sails  before  a  favorable  breeze,  contin- 
ued their  tour.  Plymouth  Bay  opened  before 
them,  with  a  low  sand-bar  shooting  across  the 
water,  which  served  to  break  the  violence  of  the 
billows  rolling  in  from  the  ocean,  but  which 
presented  no  obstacle  to  the  sweep  of  the  wind. 
It  was  an  unsheltered  harbor,  but  it  was  not 
only  the  best,  but  the  only  one  which  could  be 
found.  Cautiously  they  sailed  around  the  point 
of  sand,  dropping  the  lead  every  few  moments 
to  find  a  channel  for  their  vessel.  They  at 
length  succeeded  in  finding  a  passage,  and  a 
place  where  their  vess*3'  could  ride  in  compara- 
tive safety.  They  then  landed  to  select  a  lo-r 


32  KING   PHILIP.  [1620. 

Sites  for  the  village.  Jealousy  of  the  Dutch, 

cation  for  their  colonial  village.  Though  it 
was  the  most  dismal  season  of  the  year,  the  re- 
gion presented  many  attractions.  It  was  pleas- 
antly diversified  with  hills  and  valleys,  and  the 
forest,  of  gigantic  growth,  swept  sublimely  away 
in  all  directions.  The  remains  of  an  Indian 
village  was  found,  and  deserted  corn-fields  of 
considerable  extent,  where  the  ground  was  in  a 
state  for  easy  and  immediate  cultivation. 

The  Pilgrims  had  left  England  with  the  in- 
tention of  planting  their  colony  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Hudson  River;  but  the  Dutch,  jealous 
of  the  power  of  the  English  upon  this  continent, 
and  wishing  to  appropriate  that  very  attractive 
region  entirely  to  themselves,  bribed  the  pilot 
to  pretend  to  lose  his  course,  and  to  land  them 
at  a  point  much  farther  to  the  north ;  hence 
the  disappointment  of  the  company  in  finding 
themselves  involved  amid  the  shoals  of  Cape 
Cod.  Though  Plymouth  was  by  no  means  the 
home  which  the  Pilgrims  had  originally  sought, 
and  though  neither  the  harbor  nor  the  location 
presented  the  advantages  which  they  had  de- 
sired, the  season  was  too  far  advanced  for  them 
to  continue  their  voyage  in  search  of  a  more 
genial  home.  With  this  report  the  explorers 
returned  to  the  ship. 


1620.]  LANDING  OF  THE  PILGRIMS.  33 

Arrival  of  the  Mayflower.  Survey  of  the  countiy. 

On  the  15th  of  December  the  Mayflower 
again  weighed  anchor  from  the  harbor  of  Cape 
Cod,  and,  crossing  the  Bay  on  the  16th,  cau- 
tiously worked  its  way  into  the  shallow  harbor 
of  Plymouth,  and  cast  anchor  about  a  mile  and 
a  half  from  the  shore.  The  next  day  was  the 
Sabbath,  and  all  remained  on  board  the  ship  en- 
gaged in  their  Sabbath  devotions. 

Early  Monday  morning,  a  party  well  armed 
were  sent  on  shore  to  make  a  still  more  careful 
exploration  of  the  region,  and  to  select  a  spot 
for  their  village.  They  marched  along  the 
coast  eight  miles,  but  saw  no  natives  or  wig- 
wams. They  crossed  several  brooks  of  sweet, 
fresh  water,  but  were  disappointed  in  finding  no 
navigable  river.  They,  however,  found  many 
fields  where  the  Indians  had  formerly  cultivated 
corn.  These  fields,  thus  ready  for  the  seed, 
seemed  very  inviting.  At  night  they  returned 
to  the  ship,  not  having  decided  upon  any  spot 
for  their  settlement. 

The  next  day,  Tuesday,  the  19th,  they  again 
sent  out  a  party  on  a  tour  of  exploration.  This 
party  was  divided  into  two  companies,  one  to 
sail  along  the  coast  in  the  shallop,  hoping  to 
find  the  mouth  of  some  large  river;  the  other 
landed  and  traversed  the  shore.  At  night  they 

2—3 


34  KING   PHILIP.  |'I32G. 

A  location  selected.  Interruptions  by  a  Ftonn. 

all  returned  again  to  the  ship,  not  having  as  yet 
found  such  a  location  as  they  desired. 

Wednesday  morning  came,  and  with  increas- 
ing fervor  the  Pilgrims,  in  their  morning  prayer, 
implored  God  to  guide  them.  The  decision 
could  no  longer  be  delayed.  A  party  of  twenty 
were  sent  on  shore  to  mark  out  the  spot  where 
they  should  rear  their  store -house  and  their 
dwellings.  On  the  side  of  a  high  hill,  facing 
the  rising  sun  and  the  beautiful  bay,  they 
found  an  expanse,  gently  declining,  where  there 
were  large  fields  which,  two  or  three  years  be- 
fore, had  been  cultivated  with  Indian  corn. 
The  summit  of  this  hill  commanded  a  wide 
•view  of  the  ocean  and  of  the  land.  Springs 
of  sweet  water  gushed  from  the  hill-sides,  and 
a  beautiful  brook,  overshadowed  by  the  lofty 
forest,  meandered  at  its  base.  Here  they  unan- 
imously concluded  to  rear  their  new  homes. 

As  the  whole  party  were  rendezvoused  upon 
this  spot,  the  clouds  began  to  gather  in  the  sky, 
the  wind  rose  fiercely,  and  soon  the  rain  began 
to  fall  in  torrents.  Huge  billows  from  the 
ocean  rolled  in  upon  the  poorly-sheltered  har- 
bor, so  that  it  was  impossible  to  return  by  their 
small  boat  to  the  ship.  They  were  entirely  un- 
sheltered, as  they  had  brought  with  them  no 


1620.]  LANDING  OF   THE  PILGRIMS.  35 

Friday,  December  22.  The  birth-day  of  New  England. 

preparations  for  such  an  emergency.  Night, 
dark,  freezing,  tempestuous,  soon  settled  down 
upon  these  houseless  wanderers.  '  In  the  dense 
forest  they  sought  refuge  from  the  icy  gale  which 
( swept  over  the  ocean.  They  built  a  large  fire, 
and,  gathering  around  it,  passed  the  night  and 
all  the  next  day  exposed  to  the  fury  of  the 
storm.  But,  toward  the  evening  of  the  21st, 
the  gale  so  far  abated  that  they  succeeded  in  re- 
turning over  the  rough  waves  to  the  ship. 

The  next  morning  was  the  ever  memorable 
Friday,  December  22.  It  dawned  chill  and 
lowering.  A  wintry  gale  still  swept  the  bay, 
and  pierced  the  thin  garments  of  the  Pilgrims. 
The  eventful  hour  had  now  come  in  which  they 
were  to  leave  the  ship,  and  commence  their  new 
life  of  privation  and  hardship  in  the  New  World. 
It  was  the  birth-day  of  New  England.  In  the 
early  morning,  the  whole  ship's  company  assem- 
bled upon  the  deck  of  the  Mayflower,  men, 
women,  and  children,  to  offer  their  sacrifice  of 
thanksgiving,  and  to  implore  divine  protection 
upon  their  lofty  and  perilous  enterprise. 

"  The  Mayflower  on  New  England's  coasts  has  furled  her 

tattered  sails, 

And  through  her  chafed  and  mourning  shrouds  December'* 
breezes  wail." 


36  KING   PHILIP.  [1620. 

Hopes  and  expectations  of  the  Pilgrims. 

"  There  were  men  of  hoary  hair 

Amid  that  Pilgrim  band  ; 
Why  had  they  come  to  wither  there, 
Away  from  their  childhood's  land  1 

"  There  was  woman's  fearless  eye, 

Lit  by  her  deep  love's  truth  ; 
There  was  manhood's  brow,  serenely  high, 
And  the  fiery  heart  of  youth. 

"  What  sought  they  thus  afar! 
Bright  jewels  of  the  mine  ? 
The  wealth  of  seas — the  spoils  of  war1? 
They  sought  a  faith's  pure  shrine. 

"  Ay,  ca'l  it  holy  ground, 

The  soil  where  first  they  trod  : 
They  have  left  unstain'd  what  there  they  found — 
Freedom  to  worship  God." 

The  Pilgrims,  though  inspired  by  impulses 
as  pure  and  lofty  as  ever  glowed  in  human 
hearts,  were  still  but  feebly  conscious  of  the 
scenes  which  they  were  enacting.  They  were 
exiles  upon  whom  their  mother  country  cruelly 
frowned,  and  though  they  hoped  to  establish  a 
prosperous  colony,  where  their  civil  and  relig- 
ious liberty  could  be  enjoyed,  which  they  had 
sought  in  vain  under  the  government  of  Great 
Britain,  they  were  by  no  means  aware  that  they 
were  laying  the  foundation  stones  of  one  of  the 
most  majestic  nations  upon  which  the  sun  has 
ever  shone.  As  they  stood  upon  that  slippery 


1620.]  LANDING  or   THE   ^ILGRIMS.  37 

Leaving  the  ship.  Erection  of  the  store-house. 

deck,  swept  by  the  wintry  wind,  and  reverently 
bowed  their  heads  in  prayer,  they  dreamed  not 
of  the  immortality  which  they  were  conferring 
upon  themselves  and  upon  that  day.  Their 
frail  vessel  was  now  the  only  material  tie  which 
seemed  to  bind  them  to  their  father-land.  Their 
parting  hymn,  swelling  from  gushing  hearts  and 
trembling  lips,  blended  in  harmony  with  the 
moan  of  the  wind  and  the  wash  of  the  wave, 
and  fell,  we  can  not  doubt,  as  accepted  melody 
on  the  ear  of  God. 

These  affecting  devotions  being  ended,  boat- 
load after  boat-load  left  the  ship,  until  the  whole 
company,  one  hundred  and  one  in  number,  men, 
women  and  children,  were  rowed  to  the  shore, 
and  were  landed  upon  a  rock  around  which  the 
waves  were  dashing.  As  the  ship,  in  the  shal- 
low harboi',  rode  at  anchor  a  mile  from  the 
beach,  and  the  boats  were  small  and  the  sea 
rough,  this  operation  was  necessarily  very  slow. 

They  first  erected  a  house  of  logs  twenty  feet 
square,  which  would  serve  as  a  temporary  shel- 
ter for  them  all,  and  which  would  also  serve  as 
a  general  store-house  for  their  effects.  They 
then  commenced  building  a  number  of  small 
huts  for  the  several  families.  Every  one  lent  a 
willing  hand  to  the  work,  and  soon  a  little  vil- 


38  KING  PHILIP.  [1620. 

The  little  village.  Alarm  from  the  Indians. 

lage  of  some  twenty  dwellings  sprang  up  be- 
neath the  brow  of  the  forest-crowned  hill  which 
protected  them  from  the  winds  of  the  north- 
west. The  Pilgrims  landed  on  Friday.  The 
incessant  labors  of  the  rest  of  the  day  and  of 
Saturday  enabled  them  to  provide  but  a  poor 
shelter  for  themselves  before  the  Sabbath  came. 
But,  notwithstanding  the  urgency  of  the  case, 
all  labor  was  intermitted  on  that  day,  and  the 
little  congregation  gathered  in  their  unfinished 
store-house  to  worship  God.  Aware,  however, 
that  hostile  Indians  might  be  near,  sentinels 
were  stationed  to  guard  them  from  surprise. 
In  the  midst  of  their  devotions,  the  alarming  cry 
rang  upon  their  ears,  "Indians!  Indians!"  A 
more  fearful  cry  could  hardly  reach  the  ears  of 
husbands  and  fathers.  The  church  instantly 
became  a  fortress  and  the  worshipers  a  garri- 
son. A  band  of  hostile  natives  had  been  prowl- 
ing around,  but,  instructed  by  the  ^aliant  de- 
fense of  the  first  encounter,  and  seeing  that  the 
Pilgrims  were  prepared  to  repel  an  assault,  they 
speedily  retreated  into  the  wilderness. 

The  next  day  the  colonists  vigorously  re- 
newed their  labors,  having  parceled  themselves 
into  nineteen  families.  They  measured  out  their 
house  lots  and  drew  for  them,  clustering  their 


1620.J  LANDING   OF  THE  PILGRIMS. 


Discomforts.  Watchfulness  of  the  Indians.  End  of  the  year. 

huts  together,  for  mutual  protection,  in  two  rows, 
with  a  narrow  street  between.  But  the  storms 
of  winter  were  already  upon  them.  Monday 
night  it  again  commenced  raining.  All  that 
night  and  all  of  Tuesday  the  rain  fell  in  floods,. 
while  the  tempest  swept  the  ocean  and  wailed 
dismally  through  the  forest.  Thus  they  toiled 
along  in  the  endurance  of  inconceivable  disconr 
fort  for  the  rest  of  the  week.  All  were  suffer' 
ing  from  colds,  and  many  were  seriously  sick 
Friday  and  Saturday  it  was  again  stormy  and 
very  cold.  To  add  to  their  anxiety,  they  saw 
in  several  directions,  at  the  distance  of  five  or 
six  miles  from  them,  wreaths  of  smoke  rising 
from  large  fires  in  the  forest,  proving  that  the 
Indians  were  lurking  around  them  and  watch- 
ing their  movements.  It  was  evident,  from  the 
caution  which  the  Indians  thus  manifested,  that 
they  were  by  no  means  friendly  in  their  feelings. 
The  last  day  of  the  year  was  the  Sabbath. 
It  was  observed  with  much  solemnity,  their 
store-house,  crowded  with  their  effects,  being 
the  only  temple  in  which  they  could  assemble 
to  worship  God. 

"  Amid  the  storm  they  sang, 

And  the  stars  heard  and  the  sea  ; 
And  the  sounding  aisles  of  the  dim  woods  rang 
To  the  anthem  of  the  free." 


40    .  KING  PHILIP.  [1621. 

Attempts  to  meet  the  Indians.  Two  men  missing. 

Monday  morning  of  the  new  year  the  sun 
rose  in  a  serene  and  cloudless  sky,  and  the  Pil- 
grims, with  alacrity,  bowed  themselves  to  their 
work.  Great  fires  of  the  Indians  were  seen  in 
the  woods.  The  valiant  Miles  Standish,  a  man 
of  the  loftiest  spirit  of  energy  and  intrepedity, 
took  five  men  with  him,  and  boldly  plunged 
into  the  forest  to  find  the  Indians,  and,  if  pos- 
sible, to  establish  amicable  relations  with  them. 
He  found  their  deserted  wigwams  and  the  em- 
bers of  their  fires,  but  could  not  catch  sight  of 
a  single  native.  A  few  days  after  this,  two  of 
the  pilgrims,  who  were  abroad  gathering  thatch, 
did  not  return,  and  great  anxiety  was  felt  for 
them.  Four  or  five  men  the  next  day  set  out 
in  search  for  them.  After  wandering  about  all 
day  unsuccessfully  through  the  pathless  forest, 
they  returned  at  night  disheartened,  and  the  lit- 
tle settlement  was  plunged  into  the  deepest  sor- 
row. It  was  greatly  feared  that  they  had  been 
waylaid  and  captured  by  the  savages.  Twelve 
men  then,  well  armed,  set  out  to  explore  the 
wilderness,  to  find  any  traces  of  their  lost  com- 
panions. They  also  returned  but  to  deepen 
the  dejection  of  their  friends  by  the  recital  of 
their  unsuccessful  search.  But,  as  they  were 
telling  their  story,  a  shout  of  joy  arose,  and  the 


1621.]  LANDING  OF   THE   PILGRIMS.  41 

Return  ot  the  lopt.  Their  adventures. 

two  lost  men,  with  tattered  garments  and  ema- 
ciated cheeks,  emerged  from  the  forest.  They 
gave  the  following  account  of  their  adventures : 
As  they  were  gathering  thatch  about  a  mile 
and  a  half  from  the  plantation,  they  saw  a  pond 
in  the  distance,  and  went  to  it,  hoping  to  catch 
some  fish.  On  the  margin  of  the  pond  they 
met  a  large  deer.  The  affrighted  animal  fled, 
pursued  eagerly  by  the  dog  they  had  with  them. 
The  men  followed  on,  hoping  to  capture  the 
ricli  prize.  They  were  thus  lured  so  far  that 
they  became  bewildered  and  lost  in  the  pathless 
forest.  All  the  afternoon  they  wandered  about, 
until  black  night  encompassed  them.  A  dis- 
mal storm  arose  of  wind  and  rain,  mingled  with 
snow.  They  were  drenched 'to  the  skin,  and 
their  garments  froze  around  them.  In  the  dark- 
ness they  could  find  no  shelter.  They  had  no 
weapons,  but  each  one  a  small  sickle  to  cut 
thatch.  They  had  no  food  whatever.  They 
heard  the  roar  of  the  beasts  of  the  forests. 
They  supposed  it  to  be  the  roaring  of  lions, 
though  it  was  probably  the  howling  of  wolves. 
Their  only  safety  appeared  to  be  to  climb  into 
a  tree;  but  the  wind  and  the  cold  were  so  in- 
tolerable that  such  an  exposure  they  could  not 
endure.  So  each  one  stood  at  the  root  of  a  tree 


42  KING   PHILIP.  [1621. 

_ney  discover  the  harbor.  Their  sufferings. 

all  the  night  long,  running  around  it  to  keep 
himself  from  freezing,  drenched  by  the  storm, 
terrified  by  the  cries  which  filled  the  forest,  and 
ready,  as  soon  as  they  should  hear  the  gnashing 
of  teeth,  to  spring  into  the  branches. 

The  long  winter  night  at  length  passed  away, 
and  a  gloomy  morning  dimly  lighted  the  forest, 
and  they  resumed  their  search  for  home.  They 
waded  through  swamps,  crossed  streams,  were 
arrested  in  their  course  by  large  ponds  of  water, 
and  tore  their  clothing  and  their  flesh  by  forcing 
their  way  through  the  tangled  underbrush.  At 
last  they  came  to  a  hill,  and,  climbing  one  of 
the  highest  trees,  discerned  in  the  distance  the 
harbor  of  Plymouth,  which  they  recognized  by 
the  two  little  islands,  densely  wooded,  which 
seemed  to  float  like  ships  upon  its  surface. 
The  cheerful  sight  invigorated  them,  and,  though 
their  limbs  tottered  from  exhaustion,  they  toiled 
on,  and,  just  as  night  was  setting  in,  they 
reached  their  home,  faint  with  travel,  and  al- 
most famished  with  hunger  and  cold.  The  limbs 
of  one  of  these  men,  John  Goodman,  were  so 
swollen  by  exertion  and  the  cold  that  they  were 
obliged  to  cut  his  shoes  from  his  feet,  and  it  was 
a  long  time  before  he  was  again  able  to  walk. 
Thus  passed  the  month  of  January.  Nearly 


1621.]  LANDING  OF  THE  PILGRIMS.  43 

February.  Death  among  the  colonists. 

all  of  the  colonists  were  sick,  and  eight  of  their 
number  died. 

February  was  ushered  in  with  piercing  cold 
and  desolating  storms.  Tempests  of  rain  and 
snow  were  so  frequent  and  violent  that  but  lit- 
tle work  could  be  done.  The  huts  of  the  colo- 
nists were  but  poorly  prepared  for  such  inclem- 
ent weather,  and  so  many  were  sick  that  the 
utter  destruction  of  the  colony  seemed  to  be 
threatened.  Though  the  company  which  land- 
ed consisted  of  one  hundred  and  one,  but  forty- 
one  of  these  were  men  ;  all  the  rest  were  wom- 
en and  children.  Death  had  already  swept 
many  of  these  men  away,  and  several  others 
were  very  dangerously  sick.  It  was  evident  that 
the  savages  were  lurking  about,  watching  them 
with  an  eagle  eye,  and  with  most  manifestly  un- 
friendly feelings.  The  colonists  were  in  no  con- 
dition to  repel  an  attack,  and  the  most  fearless 
were  conscious  that  they  had  abundant  cause 
for  intense  solicitude. 

On  the  16th  of  this  month,  a  man  went  to  a 
creek  about  a  mile  and  a  half  from  the  settle- 
ment a  gunning,  and,  concealing  himself  in  the 
midst  of  some  shrubs  and  rushes,  watched  for 
water-fowl.  While  thus  concealed,  twelve  In- 
dians, armed  to  the  teeth,  marched  stealthily  by 


44  KING  PHILIP.  [1621. 

Discovery  of  Indians.  Alarm.  Preparations  for  defense. 

him,  and  he  heard  in  the  forest  around  the  noise 
of  many  more.  As  soon  as  the  twelve  had 
passed,  he  hastened  home  and  gave  the  alarm. 
All  were  called  in  from  their  work,  the  guns 
were  loaded,  and  every  possible  preparation  was 
made  to  repel  the  anticipated  assault.  But  the 
day  passed  away  in  perfect  quietness ;  not  an 
Indian  was  seen ;  not  the  voice  or  the  footfall 
of  a  foe  was  heard.  These  prowling  bands, 
concealed  in  the  dark  forest,  moved  with  a  mys- 
tery which  was  appalling.  The  Pilgrims  had 
now  been  for  nearly  two  months  at  Plymouth, 
and  not  an  Indian  had  they  as  yet  caught  sight 
of,  except  the  twelve  whom  the  gunner  from 
his  ambush  had  discerned.  Toward  evening, 
Miles  Standish,  who,  upon  the  alarm,  had  re- 
turned to  the  house,  leaving  his  tools  in  the 
woods,  took  another  man  and  went  to  the  place 
to  get  them,  but  they  were  no  longer  there. 
The  Indians  had  taken  them  away. 

This  state  of  things  convinced  the  Pilgrims 
that  it  was  necessary  to  adopt  very  efficient 
measures  that  they  might  be  prepared  to  repel 
any  attack.  All  the  able-bodied  men,  some 
twenty- five  in  number,  met  and  formed  them- 
selves into  a  military  company.  Miles  Stan- 
dish  was  chosen  captain,  and  was  invested  with 


1621.]  LANDING  OF  THE   PILGRIMS.  45 

Two  savages  appear.  Weakness  of  the  colonists. 

great  powers  in  ease  of  any  emergency.  Rude 
fortifications  were  planned  for  the  defense  of 
the  little  hamlet,  and  two  small  cannons,  which 
had  been  lying  useless  beneath  the  snow,  were 
dug  up  and  mounted  so  as  to  sweep  the  ap- 
proaches to  the  houses.  While  engaged  in 
these  operations,  two  savages  suddenly  ap- 
peared upon  the  top  of  a  hill  about  a  quarter  of 
a  mile  distant,  gazing  earnestly  upon  their 
movements.  Captain  Standish  immediately 
took  one  man  with  him,  and,  without  any  weap- 
ons, that  their  friendly  intentions  might  be  ap- 
parent, hastened  to  meet  the  Indians.  But  the 
savages,  as  tne  two  colonists  drew  near,  fled  pre- 
cipitately, and  when  Captain  Standish  arrived 
upon  the  top  of  the  hill,  he  heard  noises  in  the 
forest  behind  as  if  it  were  filled  with  Indians. 

This  was  the  17th  of  February.  After  this 
a  month  passed  away,  and  not  a  sign  of  In- 
dians was  seen.  It  was  a  month  of  sorrow, 
sickness,  and  death.  Seventeen  of  their  little 
band  died,  and  there  was  hardly  strength  left 
with  the  survivors  to  dig  their  graves.  Had 
the  Indians  known  their  weakness,  they  might 
easily,  in  any  hour,  have  utterly  destroyed  the 
colony. 


46  KING   PHILIP.  [1621. 

Advance  of  spring.  Sudden  appearance  of  an  Indian. 


CHAPTER   II. 

MASSASOIT. 

MARCH  "  came  in  like  a  lion,"  cold,  wet, 
and  stormy ;  but  toward  the  middle  of 
the  month  the  weather  changed,  and  a  warm 
sun  and  soft  southern  breezes  gave  indication 
of  an  early  spring.  The  16th  of  the  month 
was  a  remarkably  pleasant  day,  and  the  colo- 
nists who  were  able  to  bear  arms  had  assem- 
bled at  their  rendezvous  to  complete  their  mili- 
tary organization  for  the  working  clays  of  spring 
and  summer.  While  thus  engaged  they  saw, 
to  their  great  surprise,  a  solitary  Indian  ap- 
proaching. Boldly,  and  without  the  slightest 
appearance  of  hesitancy,  he  strode  along,  en- 
tered the  street  of  their  little  village,  and  di- 
rected his  steps  toward  the  group  at  the  rendez- 
vous. He  was  a  man  of  majestic  stature,  and 
entirely  naked,  with  the  exception  of  a  leathern 
belt  about  his  loins,  to  which  there  was  sus- 
pended a  fringe  about  nine  inches  in  length. 
In  his  hand  he  held  a  bow  and  two  arrows. 
The  Indian,  with  remarkable  self-confidence 


EAMO6BT,  T11E   INUIAN   V161TOB. 


1621.]  MASSASOIT.  49 

Samoset  Effects  of  a  plague. 

and  freedom  of  gait,  advanced  toward  the  aston- 
ished group,  and  in  perfectly  intelligible  En- 
glish addressed  them  with  the  words,  "  Wel- 
come, Englishmen."  From  this  man  the  eager 
colonists  soon  learned  the  following  facts.  His 
name  was  Samoset.  He  was  one  of  the  chiefs 
of  a  tribe  residing  near  the  island  of  Monhegan, 
which  is  at  the  mouth  of  Penobscot  Bay.  With 
a  great  wind,  he  said  that  it  was  but  a  day's 
sail  from  Plymouth,  though  it  required  a  jour- 
ney of  five  days  by  land.  Fishing  vessels  from 
England  had  occasionally  visited  that  region, 
and  he  had,  by  intercourse  with  them,  acquired 
sufficient  broken  English  to  be  able  to  commu- 
nicate his  ideas.  He  also  informed  the  Pil- 
grims that,  four  years  before  their  arrival,  a  ter- 
rible plague  had  desolated  the  coast,  and  that 
the  tribe  occupying  the  region  upon  which  they 
were  settled  had  been  utterly  annihilated.  The 
dead  had  been  left  unburied  to  be  devoured  by 
wolves.  Thus  the  way  had  been  prepared  for 
the  Pilgrims  to  settle  upon  land  which  no  man 
claimed,  and  thus  had  Providence  gone  before 
them  to  shield  them  from  the  attacks  of  a  sav- 
age foe. 

Samoset  was  disposed  to  make  himself  quite 
at  home.  He  wished  to  enter  the  houses,  and 

2—4 


50  KING   PHILIP.  [1621. 

Samoset  is  hospitably  treated  and  like-  his  quarters. 

called  freely  for  beer  and  for  food.  To  make 
him  a  little  more  presentable  to  their  families, 
the  Pilgrims  put  a  large  horseman's  coat  upon 
him,  and  then  led  him  into  their  houses,  and 
treated  him  with  great  hospitality.  The  sav- 
age seemed  well  satisfied  with  his  new  friends, 
and  manifested  no  disposition  to  leave  quarters 
so  comfortable  and  entertainment  so  abundant. 
Night  came,  and  he  still  remained,  and  would 
take  no  hints  to  go.  The  colonists  could  not 
rudely  turn  him  out  of  doors,  and  they  were 
very  apprehensive  of  treachery,  should  they  al- 
low him  to  continue  with  them  for  the  night. 
But  all  their  gentle  efforts  to  get  rid  of  him 
were  in  vain — he  would  stay.  They  therefore 
made  arrangements  for  him  in  Stephen  Hop- 
kins's  house,  and  carefully,  though  concealing 
their  movements  from  him,  watched  him  all 
night. 

Samoset  was  quite  an  intelligent  man,  and 
professed  to  be  well  acquainted  with  all  the 
tribes  who  peopled  the  New  England  coasts. 
He  said  that  the  tribe  inhabiting  the  end  of  the 
peninsula  of  Cape  Cod  were  called  Nausites, 
and  that  they  were  exceedingly  exasperated 
against  the  whites,  because,  a  few  years  before, 
one  Captain  Hunt,  from  England,  while  trading 


1621.]  MASSASOIT.  51 

Stealing  of  Indians.  The  chief  of  the  Wampanoags. 

with  the  Indians  on  the  Cape,  had  inveigled 
twenty-seven  men  on  board,  and  then  had  fast- 
ened them  below  and  set  sail.  These  poor 
creatures,  thus  infamously  kidnapped,  were  car- 
ried to  Spain,  and  sold  as  slaves  for  one  hundred 
dollars  each.  It  was  in  consequence  of  this- 
outrage  that  the  Pilgrims  were  so  fiercely  at- 
tacked at  The  First  Encounter.  Samoset  had 
heard  from  his  brethren  of  the  forest  all  the  in- 
cidents of  this  conflict. 

He  also  informed  his  eager  listeners  that  at 
two  days'  journey  from  them,  upon  the  margin 
of  waters  now  called  Bristol  Bay,  there  was  a 
very  powerful  tribe,  the  Wampanoags,  who  ex- 
erted a  sort  of  supremacy  over  all  the  other 
tribes  of  the  region.  Massasoit  was  the  sover- 
eign of  this  dominant  people,  and  by  his  intel- 
ligence and  energy  he  kept  the  adjacent  tribes 
in  a  state  of  vassalage.  Not  far  from  his  ter- 
ritories there  was  another  powerful  tribe,  the 
Narragansets,  who,,  in  their  strength,  were 
sometimes  disposed  to  question  his  authority. 
All  this  information  interested  the  colonists,, 
and  they  were  anxious,  if  possible,  to  open 
friendly  relations  with  Massasoit. 

Early  the  next  morning,  which  Avas  Saturday, 
March  17th,  Samoset  left,  having  received  as 


52  KING  PHILIP.  [1621. 

Departure  of  Samoset.  Keturn  of  the  Indians. 

a  present  a  knife,  a  bracelet,  and  a  ring.  He 
promised  soon  to  return  again,  and  to  bring 
some  other  Indians  with  him.  The  next  morn- 
ing was  the  Sabbath.  It  was  warm,  serene, 
and  beautiful.  Dreary  winter  had  passed,  and 
genial  spring  was  smiling  around  them.  As 
the  colonists  were  assembling  for  their  Sabbath 
devotions,  Samoset  again  presented  himself, 
with  five  tall  Indians  in  his  train.  They  were 
all  dressed  in  skins,  fitting  closely  to  the  body, 
and  most  of  them  had  a  panther's  skin  and  oth- 
er furs  for  sale.  According  to  the  arrangement 
which  the  Pilgrims  had  made  with  Samoset, 
they  all  left  their  bows  and  arrows  about  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  distant  from  the  town,  as  the 
Pilgrims  did  not  deem  it  safe  to  admit  armed 
savages  into  their  dwellings.  The  tools  which 
had  been  left  in  the  woods,  and  which  the  In- 
dians had  taken,  were  also  all  brought  back  by 
these  men.  The  colonists  received  these  na- 
tives as  kindly  as  possible,  and  entertained 
them  hospitably,  but  declined  entering  into  any 
traffic,  as  it  was  the  Sabbath.  They  told  the 
Indians,  however,  that  if  they  would  come  on 
any  other  day,  they  would  purchase  not  only  the 
furs  they  now  had  with  them,  but  any  others 
which  they  might  bring. 


1621.]  MASSASOIT.  53 

Presents  to  the  Indians.  Planting.  Appearance  of  savages. 

Upon  this,  all  retired  excepting  Samoset. 
He,  saying  that  he  was  sick,  insisted  upon  re- 
maining. The  rest  soon  disappeared  in  the 
forest,  having  promised  to  return  again  the  next 
day.  Monday  and  Tuesday  passed,  and  the 
colonists  looked  in  vain  for  the  Indians.  On 
Wednesday  morning,  having  made  Samoset  a 
present  of  a  hat,  a  pair  of  shoes,  some  stockings, 
and  a  piece  of  cloth  .to  wind  around  his  loins* 
they  sent  him  to  search  out  his  companions, 
and  ascertain  why  they  did  not  return  accord- 
ing to  their  promise.  The  Indians  who  first 
left  had  all,  upon  their  departure,  received  pres- 
ents from  the  Pilgrims,  so  anxious  were  our 
forefathers  to  establish  friendly  relations  with 
the  natives  of  this  New  World. 

During  the  first  days  of  the  week  the  colo- 
nists were  very  busy  breaking  up  their  ground 
and  planting  their  seed.  On  Wednesday  after- 
noon, Samoset  having  left,  they  again  assem- 
bled to  attend  to  their  military  organization. 
While  thus  employed,  several  savages  appeared 
on  the  summit  of  a  hill  but  a  short  distance  op- 
posite them,  twanging  their  bow-strings  and  ex- 
hibiting gestures  of  defiance.  Captain  Stand- 
ish  took  one  man  with  him,  and  with  two  others 
following  at  a  distance  as  a  re-enforccmcnt  in 


54  KING  PHILIP.  [1621. 

Squantum.  His  captivity.  Ilia  benefactors. 

case  of  any  difficulty,  went  to  meet  them.  The 
savages  continued  their  hostile  gesticulation 
until  Captain  Standish  drew  quite  near,  and 
then  they  precipitately  fled. 

The  next  day  it  was  again  warm  and  beau- 
tiful, and  the  little  village  of  the  colonists  pre- 
sented an  aspect  of  industry,  peace,  and  pros-  ' 
perity.  About  noon  Samoset  returned,  with 
one  single  stranger  accompanying  him.  This 
Indian's  name  was  Squantum.  He  had  been 
of  the  party  seized  by  Wey mouth  or  by  Hunt — 
the  authorities  are  not  clear  upon  that  point — 
and  had  been  carried  to  Spain  and  there  sold  as 
a  slave.  After  some  years  of  bondage  he  suc- 
ceeded in  escaping  to  England.  Mr.  John  Sla- 
ney,  a  merchant  of  London,  chanced  to  meet  the 
poor  fugitive,  protected  him,  and  treated  him 
with  the  greatest  kindness,  and  finally  secured 
him  a  passage  back  to  his  native  land,  from 
whence  he  had  been  so  ruthlessly  stolen.  This 
Indian,  forgetting  the  outrage  of  the  knave  who 
had  kidnapped  him,  and  remembering  only  the 
great  kindness  which  he  had  received  from  his 
benefactor  and  from  the  people  generally  in  Lon- 
don, in  generous  requital  now  attached  himself 
cordially  to  the  Pilgrims,  and  became  their  firm 
iriend.  His  residence  in  England  had  rendered 


1621.]  MASSASOIT.  55 

Approach  of  Massasoit.  Caution  of  the  Indiana. 

him  quite  familiar  with  the  English  language,, 
and  he  proved  invaluable  not  only  as  an  inter- 
preter, but  also  in  instructing  them  respecting 
the  modes  of  obtaining  a  support  in  the  wilder- 
ness. 

Squantum  brought  the  welcome  intelligence 
that  his  sovereign  chief,  the  great  Massasoit, 
had  heard  of  the  arrival  of  the  Pilgrims,  and 
was  approaching,  with  a  retinue  of  sixty  warri- 
ors, to  pay  them  a  friendly  visit.  With  charac- 
teristic dignity  and  caution,  the  Indian  chief  had 
encamped  upon  a  neighboring  hill,  and  had  sent 
Squantum  as  his  messenger  to  inform  the  white 
men  of  his  arrival,  and  to  conduct  the  prelimi- 
naries for  an  interview.  Massasoit  was  well 
acquainted  with  the  conduct  of  the  unprincipled 
English  seamen  who  had  skirted  the  coast,  com- 
mitting all  manner  of  outrages,  and  he  was  too 
wary  to  place  himself  in  the  power  of  strangers 
respecting  whom  he  entertained  such  well- 
grounded  suspicions.  He  therefore  established 
himself  upon  a  hill,  where  he  could  not  be  taken 
by  surprise,  and  where,  in  case  of  an  attack,  he 
could  easily,  if  necessary,  retreat. 

The  Pilgrims  also,  overawed  by  their  lonely 
position,  and  by  the  mysterious  terrors  of  the 
wilderness  and  of  the  savage,  deemed  it  impru- 


56  KING  PHILIP.  [1621. 

Conference  with  Massasoit.  The  Pilgrims  leave  a  hostage. 

dent,  when  such  a  band  of  armed  warriors  were 
in  their  vicinity,  to  send  any  of  their  feeble  force 
from  behind  the  intrenchments  which  they  had 
reared.  After  several  messages,  through  their 
interpreter,  had  passed  to  and  fro,  Massasoit, 
who,  thougli  unlettered,  was  a  man  of  reflection 
and  of  sagacity,  proposed  that  the  English 
should  send  one  of  their  number  to  his  encamp- 
ment to  communicate  to  him  their  designs  in 
settling  upon  lands  which  had  belonged  to  one 
of  his  vassal  tribes.  One  of  the  colonists,  Ed- 
ward Winslow,  consented  to  go  upon  this  em- 
bassy. He  took  as  a  present  for  the  barbarian 
monarch  two  knives  and  a  copper  chain,  with  a 
jewel  attached  to  it.  Massasoit  received  him 
with  dignity,  yet  with  courtesy.  Mr.  Winslow, 
through  Squantum  as  his  interpreter,  addressee1, 
the  chieftain,  surrounded  by  his  warriors,  in  the 
sincere  words  of  peace  and  friendship.  The 
Pilgrims  of  the  Mayflower  were  good  men. 
They  wished  to  do  right,  and  to  establish  ami- 
cable relations  with  the  Indians. 

Massasoit  listened  in  silence  and  very  atten- 
tively to  the  speech  of  Mr.  Winslow.  At  its 
close  he  expressed  his  approval,  and,  after  a 
short  conference  with  his  councilors,  decided  to 
accept  Governor  Carver's  invitation  to  visit  him, 


1621.]  MASSASOIT.  59 

Visit  of  Massasoit.  His  reception.  Royal  interview. 

if  Mr.  Winslow  would  remain  in  the  Indian  en- 
campment as  a  hostage  during  his  absence. 
This  arrangement  being  assented  to,  Massasoit 
set  out,  with  twenty  of  his  warriors,  for  the  set- 
tlement of  the  Pilgrims.  In  token  of  peace, 
they  left  all  their  weapons  behind.  In  Indian 
file,  and  in  perfect  silence,  the  savages  advanced 
until  they  reached  a  small  brook  near  the  log 
huts  of  the  colonists.  Here  they  were  met  by 
Captain  Miles  Standish  with  a  military  array 
of  six  men.  A  salute  of  six  muskets  was  fired 
in  honor  of  the  regal  visit.  Advancing  a  little 
farther,  Governor  Carver  met  them  with  his  re- 
serve of  military  pomp,  and  the  monarch  of  the 
Wampanoags  and  his  chieftains  were  escorted 
with  the  music  of  the  drum  and  fife  to  a  log 
hut  decorated  with  such  embellishments  as  the 
occasion  could  furnish.  Two  or  three  cushions, 
covered  with  a  green  rug,  were  spread  as  a  seat 
for  the  king  and  the  governor  in  this  formal  and 
most  important  interview.  Governor  Carver 
took  the  hand  of  Massasoit  and  kissed  it.  The 
Indian  chieftain  immediately  imitated  his  ex- 
ample, and  returned  the  salute.  The  governor 
then,  in  accordance  with  mistaken  views  of  hos- 
pitality, presented  his  guest  with  a  goblet  of  ar- 
dent spirits.  The  noble  Indian,  whose  throat 


60  KING  PHILIP.  [1621. 

The  first  glass  of  spirits.  Appearance  of  the  warriors. 

had  never  yet  been  tainted  by  this  curse,  took  a 
draught  which  caused  his  eyes  almost  to  burst 
from  their  sockets,  and  drove  the  sweat  gushing 
from  every  pore.  With  the  instinctive  imper- 
turbability of  his  race,  he  soon  recovered  from 
the  shock,  and  a  long,  friendly,  and  very  satis- 
factory conference  was  held. 

Massasoit  was  a  man  of  mark,  mild,  genial, 
affectionate,  yet  bold,  cautious,  and  command- 
ing. He  was  in  the  prime  of  life,  of  majestic 
stature,  and  of  great  gravity  of  countenance  and 
manners.  His  face  was  painted  red,  after  the 
manner  of  the  warriors  of  his  tribe.  His  glossy 
raven  hair,  well  oiled,  was  cut  short  in  front,  but 
hung  thick  and  long  behind.  He  and  his  com- 
panions were  picturesquely  dressed  in  skins  and 
with  plumes  of  brilliant  colors. 

As  evening  approached,  Massasoit  withdrew 
with  his  followers  to  his  encampment  upon  the 
hill.  The  treachery  of  Hunt  and  such  men  had 
made  him  suspicious,  and  he  was  not  willing  to 
leave  himself  for  the  night  in  the  power  of  the 
white  men.  He  accordingly  arranged  his  en- 
campment to  guard  against  surprise,  and,  sen- 
tinels being  established,  the  rest  of  the  party 
threw  themselves  apon  their  hemlock  boughs, 
with  their  bows  and  arrows  in  their  hands,  and 


1621.]  MASSASOIT.  61 

A  friendly  alliance.  Death  of  Governor  Carver. 

were  soon  fast  asleep.  The  Pilgrims  also  kept 
a  vigilant  watch  that  night,  for  neither  party- 
had  full  confidence  in  the  other.  The  next 
morning  Captain  Standish,  with  another  man, 
ventured  into  the  camp  of  the  Indians.  They 
were  received  with  great  kindness,  and  gradu- 
ally confidence  was  strengthened  between  the 
two  parties,  and  the  most  friendly  relations 
were  established.  After  entering  into  a  formal 
alliance,  offensive  and  defensive,  the  conference 
terminated  to  the  satisfaction  of  all  parties,  and 
the  tawny  warriors  again  disappeared  in  the 
pathless  wilderness.  They  returned  to  Mount 
Hope,  then  called  Pokanoket,  the  seat  of  Mas- 
sasoit,  about  forty  miles  from  Plymouth. 

The  ravages  of  death  had  now  dwindled  the 
colony  down  to  fifty  men,  women,  and  children. 
But  health  was  restored  with  the  returning  sun 
and  the  cheering  breezes  of  spring.  Thirty 
acres  of  land  were  planted,  and  Squantum 
proved  himself  a  true  and  valuable  friend,  teach- 
ing them  how  to  cultivate  Indian  corn,  and  how 
to  take  the  various  kinds  of  fish. 

In  June  Governor  Carver  died,  greatly  beloved 
and  revered  by  the  colony.  Mr.  William  Brad- 
ford was  chosen  as  his  successor,  and  by  annu- 
al election  was  continued  governor  for  many 


62  KING  PHILIP.  [1621. 

Mission  to  Massasoit.  Trouble  from  the  Indians. 

years.  Early  in  July  Governor  Bradford  sent 
a  deputation  from  Plymouth,  with  Squantum 
as  their  interpreter,  to  return  the  visit  of  Mas- 
sasoit. There  were  several  quite  important  ob- 
jects to  be  obtained  by  this  mission.  It  was 
a  matter  of  moment  to  ascertain  the  strength  of 
Massasoit,  the  number  of  his  warriors,  and  the 
state  in  which  he  lived.  They  wished  also,  by 
a  formal  visit,  to  pay  him  marked  attention, 
and  to  renew  their  friendly  correspondence. 
There  was  another  subject  of  delicacy  and  of 
difficulty  which  it  had  become  absolutely  nec- 
essary to  bring  forward.  Lazy,  vagabond  In- 
dians had  for  some  time  been  increasingly  in 
the  habit  of  crowding  the  little  village  of  the 
colonists  and  eating  out  their  substance.  They 
would  come  with  their  wives  and  their  chil- 
dren, and  loiter  around  day  after  day,  without 
any  delicacy  whatever,  clamoring  for  food,  and 
devouring  every  thing  which  was  set  before 
them  like  famished  wolves.  The  Pilgrims, 
anxious  to  maintain  friendly  relations  with 
Massasoit,  were  reluctant  to  drive  away  his  sub- 
jects by  violence,  but  the  longer  continuance 
of  such  hospitality  could  not  be  endured. 

The  governor  sent  to  the  Indian  king,  as  a 
present,  a  gaudy  horseman's  coat.     It  was  made 


1621.]  MASSASOIT.  63 

The  journey.  Appearance  of  the  country. 

of  red  cotton  trimmed  with  showy  lace.  At 
10  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the  second  of  July, 
the  two  embassadors,  Mr.  Winslow  and  Mr. 
Hopkins,  with  Squantum  as  guide  and  inter- 
preter, set  forward  on  their  journey.  It  was  a 
warm  and  sunny  day,  and  with  cheerful  spirits 
the  party  threaded  the  picturesque  trails  of  the 
Indians  through  the  forest.  These  trails  were 
paths  through  the  wilderness  through  which 
the  Indians  had  passed  for  uncounted  centuries. 
They  were  distinctly  marked,  and  almost  as  re- 
nowned as  the  paved  roads  of  the  Old  World, 
which  once  reverberated  beneath  the  tramp  of 
the  legions  of  the  Caesars.  Here  generation 
after  generation  of  the  moccasined  savage,  with 
silent  tread,  threaded  his  way,  delighting  in  the 
gloom  which  no  ray  of  the  sun  could  penetrate, 
in  the  silence  interrupted  only  by  the  cry  of 
the  wild  beast  in  his  lair,  and  awed  by  the 
marvelous  beauty  of  lakes  and  streams,  framed 
in  mountains  and  fringed  with  forests,  where 
water-fowl  of  every  variety  of  note  and  plum- 
age floated  buoyant  upon  the  wave,  and  pierced 
the  air  with  monotonous  and  melancholy  song. 
Ten  or  twelve  Indians — men,  women,  and  chil- 
dren— followed  them,  annoying  them  not  a  little 
with  their  intrusiveness  and  their  greedy  grasp 


64  KING  PHILIP.  [1G21. 

Hospitality  of  the  natives.  Poverty  of  the  natives. 

of  food.  The  embassy  traveled  about  fifteen 
miles  to  a  small  Indian  village  upon  a  branch 
of  Taunton  River.  Here  they  arrived  about 
three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  The  natives 
called  the  place  Namaschet.  It  was  within  the 
limits  of  the  present  town  of  Middleborough. 
The  Indians  received  the  colonists  with  great 
hospitality,  offering  them  the  richest  viands 
which  they  could  furnish — heavy  bread  made 
of  corn,  and  the  spawn  of  shad,  which  they  ate 
from  wooden  spoons.  These  glimpses  'of  pov- 
erty and  wretchedness  sadly  detract  from  the 
romantic  ideas  we  have  been  wont  to  cherish  of 
the  free  life  of  the  children  of  the  forest.  The 
savages  were  exceedingly  delighted  with  the 
skill  which  their  guests  displayed  in  shooting 
crows  in  their  corn-fields. 

As  Squantum  told  them  that  it  was  more 
than  a  day's  travel  from  there  to  Pokanoket  or 
Mount  Hope,  they  resumed  their  journey,  and 
went  about  eight  miles  farther,  till  they  came, 
about  sunset,  to  another  stream,  where  they 
found  a  party  of  natives  fishing.  They  were 
here  cheered  with  the  aspect  of  quite  a  fruitful 
region.  The  ground  on  both  sides  of  the  river 
was  cleared,  and  had  formerly  waved  with  corn- 
fields. The  place  had  evidently  once  been 


1621.]  MASSASOIT.  65 

The  fishing-party.  Opposition  to  crossing  the  river. 

densely  populated,  but  the  plague  of  which  we 
have  spoken  swept,  it  is  said,  every  individual 
into  the  grave.  A  few  wandering  Indians  had 
now  come  to  the  deserted  fields  to  fish,  and 
were  lazily  sleeping  in  the  open  air,  without 
constructing  for  themselves  any  shelter.  These 
miserable  natives  had  no  food  but  fish  and  a 
few  roasted  acorns,  and  they  devoured  greedily 
the  stores  which  the  colonists  brought  with 
them.  The  night  was  mild  and  serene,  and 
was  passed  without  much  discomfort  in  the  un- 
sheltered fields. 

Early  in  the  morning  the  journey  was  re- 
sumed, the  colonists  following  down  the  stream, 
now  called  Fall  River,  toward  Narraganset  Bay. 
Six  of  the  savages  accompanied  them  a  few 
miles,  until  they  came  to  a  shallow  place,  where, 
i  by  divesting  themselves  of  their  clothing,  they 
were  able  to  wade  through  the  river.  Upon 
the  opposite  bank  there  were  two  Indians  who 
seemed,  with  valor  which  astonished  the  colo- 
nists, to  oppose  their  passage.  They  ran  down 
to  the  margin  of  the  stream,  brandished  their 
weapons,  and  made  all  the  threatening  gestures 
in  their  power.  They  were,  however,  appeased 
by  friendly  signs,  and  at  last  permitted  the  pas- 
sage of  the  river  without  resort  to  violence. 
2—5 


€6  KING  PHILIP.  [1621. 

Assistance  from  the  Indians.  Scarcity  of  food. 

Here,  after  refreshing  themselves,  they  con- 
tinued their  journey,  following  down  the  west- 
ern bank  of  the  stream.  The  country  on  both 
sides  of  the  river  had  been  cleared,  and  in  former 
years  had  been  planted  with  corn-fields,  but  was 
now  quite  depopulated.  Several  Indians  still 
accompanied  them,  treating  them  with  the  most 
remarkable  kindness.  It  was  a  cloudless  day, 
and  intensely  hot.  The  Indians  insisted  upon 
carrying  the  superfluous  clothing  of  their  newly- 
found  friends.  As  they  were  continually  com- 
ing to  brooks,  often  quite  wide  and  deep,  run- 
ning into  the  river,  the  Indians  eagerly  took, 
the  Pilgrims  upon  their  shoulders  and  carried 
them  through. 

During  the  whole  of  the  day,  after  crossing 
the  river,  they  met  with  but  two  Indians  on  their 
route,  so  effectually  had  the  plague  swept  off  the 
inhabitants.  But  the  evidence  was  abundant 
that  the  region  had  formerly  been  quite  popu- 
lous with  a  people  very  poor  and  uncultivated. 
Their  living  had  been  manifestly  nothing  but 
fish  and  corn  pounded  into  coarse  meal.  Game 
must  have  been  so  scarce  in  the  woods,  and 
with  such  difficulty  taken  with  bows  and  ar- 
rows, that  they  could  very  seldom  have  been 
regaled  with  meat.  A  more  wretched  and  mo- 


T1IK   PALAOK   OF  1IASSASOI1. 


1621.]  MASSASOIT.  69 

Character  of  the  Indians.  Massasoit  absent. 

notorious  existence  than  theirs  can  hardly  be 
conceived.  Entirely  devoid  of  mental  culture, 
there  was  no  range  for  thought.  Their  huts- 
were  miserable  abodes,  barely  endurable  in 
pleasant  weather,  but  comfortless  in  the  ex- 
treme when  the  wind  filled  them  with  smoke, 
or  the  rain  dripped  through  the  branches.  Men, 
women,  children,  and  dogs  slept  together  at 
night  in  the  one  littered  room,  devoured  by 
fleas.  The  native  Indian  was  a  degraded,  joy- 
less savage,  occasionally  developing  kind  feel- 
ings and  noble  instincts,  but  generally  vicious, 
treacherous,  and  cruel. 

The  latter  part  of  the  afternoon  they  arrived 
at  Pokanoket.  Much  to  their  disappointment, 
they  found  that  Massasoit,  uninformed  of  their 
intended  visit,  was  absent  on  a  hunting  excur- 
sion. As  he  was,  however,  not  far  from  home, 
runners  were  immediately  dispatched  to  recall 
him.  The  chieftain  had  selected  his  residence 
with  that  peculiar  taste  for  picturesque  beauty 
which  characterized  the  more  noble  of  the  In- 
dians. The  hillock  which  the  English  subse- 
quently named  Mount  Hope  was  a  graceful 
mound  about  two  hundred  feet  high,  command- 
ing an  extensive  and  remarkably  beautiful  view 
of  wide,  sweeping  forests  and  indented  bays. 


70  KING  PHILIP.  [1621. 

Mount  Hope.  Reflections  on  the  pa.-t. 

This  celebrated  mound  is  about  four  miles 
from  the  city  of  Fall  River.  From  its  summit 
the  eye  now  ranges  over  Providence,  Bristol, 
Warren,  Fall  River,  and  many  other  minor 
towns.  The  whole  wide-spread  landscape  is 
embellished  with  gardens,  orchards,  cultivated, 
fields,  and  thriving  villages.  Gigantic  steam- 
ers plow  the  waves,  and  the  sails  of  a  com- 
merce which  girdles  the  globe  whitens  the  beau- 
tiful bay. 

But,  as  the  tourist  sits  upon  the  solitary 
summit,  he  forgets  the  present  in  memory  of 
the  past.  Neither  the  pyramids  of  Egypt  nor 
the  Coliseum  of  the  Eternal  City  are  draped 
with  a  more  sublime  antiquity.  Here,  during 
generations  which  no  man  can  number,  the  sons 
of  the  forest  gathered  around  their  council-fires, 
and  struggled,  as  human  hearts,  whether  savage 
or  civilized,  must  ever  struggle,  against  "  life's 
stormy  doom." 

Here,  long  centuries  ago,  were  the  joys  of  the 
bridal,  and  the  anguish  which  gathers  around 
the  freshly-opened  grave.  Beneath  the  moon, 
which  then,  as  now,  silvered  this  mound,  "  the 
Indian  lover  wooed  his  dusky  maid."  Upon 
the  beach,  barbaric  childhood  reveled,  and  their 
red  limbs  were  bathed  in  the  crystal  waves. 


1621.]  MASSASOIT.  71 

Reflections  inspired  by  the  scene.  Character  of  our  forefathers. 

Here,  in  ages  long  since  passed  away,  the 
war-whoop  resounded  through  the  forest.  The 
shriek  of  mothers  and  maidens  pierced  the  skies 
as  they  fell  cleft  by  the  tomahawk ;  and  all  the 
horrid  clangor  of  war,  with  "  its  terror,  confla- 
gration, tears,  and  blood,"  imbittered  ten  thou- 
sand fold  the  ever  bitter  lot  of  humanity. 

"  'Tis  dangerous  to  rouse  the  lion  ; 

Deadly  to  cross  the  tiger's  path ; 
But  the  most  terrible  of  terrors 
Is  man  himself  in  his  wild  wrath." 

In  the  midst  of  this  attractive  scene,  perhap& 
nothing  is  more  conspicuous  than  the  spires  of 
the  churches — those  churches  of  a  pure  Chris- 
tianity to  which  New  England  is  indebted  for 
all  her  intelligence  and  prosperity.  It  was  upon 
the  Bible  that  our  forefathers  laid  the  founda- 
tions of  the  institutions  of  this  New  World ; 
and,  though  they  made  some  mistakes,  for  they 
were  but  mortal,  still  they  were  sincere,  con- 
scientious Christian  men,  and  their  Christian- 
ity has  been  the  legacy  from  which  their  chil- 
dren have  derived  the  greatest  benefits.  Two- 
hundred  years  ago,  our  fathers,  from  the  sum- 
mit of  Mount  Hope,  looked  upon  a  dreary  wil- 
derness through  which  a  few  naked  savages 
roamed.  How  different  the  spectacle  which, 
now  meets  the  eye  of  the  tourist ! 


72  KING  PHILIP.  [1621. 

Return  of  Massasoit.  Koyal  ceremonies.  Gifts  to  the  king. 

Massasoit,  informed  by  his  runners  of  the 
guests  who  had  so  unexpectedly  arrived,  imme- 
diately returned.  Mr.  Winslow  and  Mr.  Hop- 
kins, wishing  to  honor  the  Indian  king,  fired  a 
salute,  each  one  discharging  his  gun  as  Massa- 
soit approached.  The  king,  who  had  heard  the 
report  of  fire-arms  before,  was  highly  gratified ; 
but  the  women  and  children  were  struck  with 
exceeding  terror,  and,  like  affrighted  deer,  leap- 
ed from  their  wigwams  and  fled  into  the  woods. 
Squantum  pursued  them,  and,  by  assurances 
that  no  harm  was  to  be  feared,  at  length  induced 
them  cautiously  to  return. 

There  was  then  an  interchange  of  sundry  cer- 
emonies of  state  to  render  the  occasion  impos- 
ing. The  scarlet  coat,  with  its  gaudy  embroi- 
dery of  lace,  was  placed  upon  Massasoit,  and  a 
chain  of  copper  beads  was  thrown  around  his 
neck.  He  seemed  much  pleased  with  these 
showy  trappings,  and  his  naked  followers  were 
exceedingly  delighted  in  seeing  their  chieftain 
thus  decorated.  A  motley  group  now  gathered 
around  the  Indian  king  and  the  English  embas- 
sy. Massasoit  then  made  a  long  speech,  to 
which  the  natives  seemed  to  listen  with  great 
interest,  occasionally  responding  with  applause. 
It  was  now  night.  The  two  envoys  were  weary 


1621.]  MASSASOIT.  73 

Want  of  food.  Night  in  a  palace.  Amusements. 

\vith  travel,  and  were  hungry,  for  they  had  con- 
isumed  all  their  food,  not  doubting  that  they 
should  find  abundance  at  the  table  of  th3  sov- 
ereign of  all  these  realms.  But,  to  their  sur- 
prise, Massasoit  was  entirely  destitute,  not  hav- 
ing even  a  mouthful  to  offer  them.  Supperless 
they  went  to  bed.  In  the  following  language 
they  describe  their  accommodations  for  the 
night : 

"  Late  it  grew,  but  victuals  he  offered  none, 
so  we  desired  to  go  to  rest.  He  laid  us  on  the 
bed  with  himself  and  his  wife,  they  at  the  one 
•end  and  we  at  the  other,  it  being  only  planks 
laid  a  foot  from  the  ground,  and  a  thin  mat 
upon  them.  Two  more  of  his  chief  men,  for 
want  of  room,  pressed  by  and  upon  us,  so  that 
we  were  worse  weary  of  our  lodging  than  of  our 
journey." 

The  next  day  there  was  gathered  at  Mount 
Hope  quite  a  concourse  of  the  adjoining  Indians, 
subordinate  chiefs  and  common  people.  They 
engaged  in  various  games  of  strength  and  agil- 
ity, with  skins  for  prizes.  The  English  also 
fired  at  a  mark,  amazing  the  Indians  with  the 
accuracy  of  their  shot.  It  was  now  noon,  and 
the  English,  who  had  slept  without  supper,  had 
as  yet  received  no  breakfast.  At  one  o'clock 


74  KING  PHILIP.  [1621. 

Arrival  of  fish.  Motives  for  departure.  Graphic  narrative. 

two  large  fishes  were  brought  in,  which  had  been, 
speared  in  the  bay.  They  were  hastily  broiled 
upon  coals,  a^d  forty  hungry  men  eagerly  de- 
voured them. 

The  afternoon  passed  slowly  and  tediously 
away,  and  again  the  Pilgrims  went  supperless 
to  bed.  Again  they  passed  a  sleepless  night, 
being  kept  awake  by  vermin,  hunger,  and  the 
noise  of  the  savages.  Friday  morning  they 
rose  before  the  sun,  resolved  immediately  to- 
commence  their  journey  home.  Massasoit  wa& 
very  importunate  to  have  them  remain  longer 
with  him. 

"  But  we  determined,"  they  write  in  their 
graphic  narrative,  "to  keep  the  Sabbath  at  home, 
and  feared  that  we  should  either  be  light-head- 
ed for  want  of  sleep,  for  what  with  bad  lodg- 
ings, the  savages'  barbarous  singing  (for  they 
use  to  sing  themselves  asleep),  lice,  and  fleas 
within  doors,  and  musketoes  without,  we  could 
hardly  sleep  all  the  time  of  our  being  there ;. 
we  much  fearing  that  if  we  should  stay  any 
longer  we  should  not  be  able  to  recover  home 
for  want  of  strength ;  so  that  on  the  Friday 
morning  before  the  sunrising  we  took  our  leave 
and  departed,  Massasoit  being  both  grieved  and 
ashamed  that  he  could  no  better  entertain  us."* 


1621.]  MASSASOIT.  75 

;Stormy  journey.  Kesult  of  the  mission.  Child  lost. 

Their  journey  home  was  a  very  weary  one. 
They  would,  perhaps,  have  perished  from  hun- 
ger had  they  not  obtained  from  the  Indians 
whom  they  met  a  little  parched  corn,  which  was 
considered  a  very  great  delicacy,  a  squirrel,  and 
a  shad.  Friday  night,  as  they  were  asleep  in 
the  open  air,  a  tempest  of  thunder  and  light- 
ning arose,  with  floods  of  rain.  Their  fire  was 
speedily  extinguished,  and  they  were  soaked  to 
the  skin.  Saturday  night,  just  as  the  twilight 
was  passing  away  into  darkness,  they  reached 
their  homes  in  a  storm  of  rain,  wet,  weary,  hun- 
gry, and  sore. 

The  result  of  this  mission  was,  however,  im- 
portant. They  renewed  their  treaty  of  peace 
with  Massasoit,  and  made  arrangements  that 
they  were  to  receive  no  Indians  as  guests  un- 
less Massasoit  should  send  them  with  a  cop- 
per necklace,  in  token  that  they  came  from 
him. 

In  the  autumn  of  this  same  year  a  boy  from 
the  colony  got  lost  in  the  woods.  He  wan- 
dered about  for  five  days,  living  upon  berries, 
and  then  was  found  by  some  Indians  in  the  for- 
ests of  Cape  Cod.  Massasoit,  as  soon  as  lie 
heard  of  it,  sent  word  that  the  boy  was  found. 
He  was  in  the  hands  of  the  same  tribe  who,  in 


76  KING  PHILIP.  [1621, 

News  of  the  safety  of  the  child.  Endeavors  for  his  rescue. 

consequence  of  the  villainies  of  Hunt,  had  as- 
sailed the  Pilgrims  so  fiercely  at  the  First  En- 
counter. The  savages  treated  the  boy  kindly,, 
and  had  him  at  Nauset,  which  is  now  the  town 
of  Eastham,  near  the  extremity  of  the  Cape. 
Governor  Bradford  immediately  sent  ten  men  in 
a  boat  to  rescue  the  boy. 

They  coasted  along  the  first  day  very  pros- 
perously, notwithstanding  a  thunder-shower  in 
the  afternoon,  with  violent  wind  and  rain.  At 
night  they  put  into  Barnstable  Bay,  then  called 
Cummaquid.  Squantum  and  another  Indian 
were  with  them  as  friends  and  interpreters. 
They  deemed  it  prudent  not  to  land,  but  an- 
chored for  the  night  in  the  middle  of  the  bay. 
The  next  morning  they  saw  some  savages  gath- 
ering shell- fish  upon  the  shore.  They  sent 
their  two  interpreters  with  assurances  of  friend- 
ship, and  to  inquire  for  the  boy.  The  savages 
were  very  courteous,  informed  them  that  the 
boy  was  farther  down  the  Cape  at  JVauset,  and 
invited  the  whole  party  to  come  on  shore  and 
take  some  refreshments.  Six  of  the  colonists 
ventured  ashore,  having  first  received  four  of 
the  natives  to  remain  in  their  boat  as  hostages. 
The  chief  of  this  small  tribe,  called  the  Cum- 
maquids,  was  a  young  man  of  about  twenty 


1621.]  MASSASOIT.  77 

•Cuminaquids.  An  aged  Indian.  lyanough. 

six  years  of  age,  and  appeared  to  be  a  very  re- 
markable character.  He  was  dignified  and 
courteous  in  his  demeanor,  and  entertained  his 
guests  with  a  native  politeness  which  surprised 
them  much. 

While  in  this  place  an  old  Indian  woman 
came  to  see  them,  whom  they  judged  to  be  a 
hundred  years  of  age.  As  soon  as  she  came 
into  their  presence  she  was  overwhelmed  with 
emotion,  and  cried  most  convulsively.  Upon 
inquiring  the  reason,  the  Pilgrims  were  told  that 
her  three  sons  were  kidnapped  by  Captain  Hunt. 
The  young  men  had  been  invited  on  board  his 
ship  to  trade.  He  lured  them  below,  seized 
arid  bound  them,  and  carried  them  to  Spain, 
where  he  sold  them  as  slaves.  The  unhappy 
and  desolate  mother  seemed  quite  heart-broken 
with  grief.  The  Pilgrims  addressed  to  her 
words  of  sympathy,  assured  her  that  Captain 
Hunt  was  a  bad  man,  whom  every  good  man  in 
England  condemned,  and  gave  her  some  pres- 
ents. 

They  remained  with  this  kind  but  deeply- 
wronged  people  until  after  dinner.  Then  lya- 
nough himself,  the  noble  young  chief  of  the 
tribe,  with  two  of  his  warriors,  accompanied 
them  on  board  the  boat  to  assist  them  in  their 


78  KING  PHILIP.  [162L 

Caution.  Recovery  of  the  lost  boy.  Presents  to  Aspinet. 

search  for  the  boy.  A  fair  wind  from  the  west 
filled  their  sails,  and  late  in  the  evening,  when 
it  was  too  dark  to  land,  they  approached  Nau- 
set.  Here  was  the  hostile  tribe  whose  prowess 
the  colonists  had  experienced  in  the  First  En- 
counter. The  villain,  Captain  Hunt,  had  sto- 
len from  them  twenty  men.  It  was  conse- 
quently deemed  necessary  to  practice  much  cau- 
tion, lyanough  and  Squantum  went  on  shore 
there  to  conciliate  the  natives  and  to  inform 
them  of  the  object  of  the  mission.  The  next 
morning  a  great  crowd  of  natives  had  gathered, 
and  were  anxious  to  get  into  the  boat.  The 
English,  however,  prudently,  would  allow  but 
two  to  enter  at  a  time.  The  day  was  passed  in 
parleying.  About  sunset  a  train  of  a  hundred  In- 
dians appeared,  bringing  the  lost  boy  with  them. 
One  half  remained  at  a  little  distance,  with 
their  bows  and  arrows ;  the  other  half,  unarmed, 
brought  the  boy  to  the  boat,  and  delivered  him 
to  his  friends.  The  colonists  made  valuable 
presents  to  Aspinet,  the  chief  of  the  tribe,  and 
also  paid  abundantly  for  the  corn  which,  it  will 
be  remembered,  they  took  from  a  deserted 
house  when  they  were  first  coasting  along  the 
shore  in  search  of  a  place  of  settlement.  They 
then  spread  their  sails,  and  a  fair  wind  soon 


1621.J  MASSASOIT.  79 

The  Wampanoags.  Power  of  Massasoit. 

drove  them  fifty  miles  across  the  bay  to  their 
homes. 

The  Wampanoags  do  not  appear  to  have  con- 
stituted a  very  numerous  tribe,  but,  through  the 
intellectual  and  military  energy  of  their  chief- 
tain, Massasoit,  they  had  acquired  great  power. 
The  present  town  of  Bristol,  Rhode  Island,  was 
the  region  principally  occupied  by  the  tribe;  but 
Massasoit  extended  his  sway  over  more  than 
thirty  tribes,  who  inhabited  Cape  Cod  and  all 
the  country  extending  between  Massachusetts 
and  Narraganset  Bays,  reaching  inland  to  where 
the  head  branches  of  the  Charles  River  and 
the  Pawtucket  River  meet.  It  will  be  seen 
at  once,  by  reference  to  the  map,  how  wide  was 
the  sway  of  this  Indian  monarch,  and  how  im- 
portant it  was  for  the  infant  colony  to  cultivate 
friendly  relations  with  a  sovereign  who  could 
combine  all  those  tribes,  and  direct  many  thou- 
sand barbarian  warriors  to  rush  like  wolves 
upon  the  feeble  settlement. 


80  KING  PHILIP.  [1621. 

Canouicus.  His  hostility  toward  the  Puritans. 


CHAPTER  III. 
CLOUDS  OF  WAR. 

THE  Narraganset  Indians  occupied  the  re- 
gion extending  from  the  western  shores  of 
Narraganset  Bay  to  Pawcatuck  River.  They 
were  estimated  to  number  about  thirty  thou- 
sand, and  could  bring  five  thousand  warriors 
into  the  field.  Canonicus,  the  sovereign  chief 
of  this  tribe,  was  a  man  of  great  renown.  War 
had  occasionally  raged  between  the  Narragan- 
sets  and  the  Wampanoags,  and  the  two  tribes 
were  bitterly  hostile  to  each  other.  Canonicus 
regarded  the  newly-arrived  English  with  gre^.t 
jealousy,  and  was  particularly  annoyed  by  the 
friendly  relations  existing  between  them  and  the 
Wampanoags.  Indeed,  it  is  quite  evident  that 
Massasoit  was  influenced  to  enter  into  his  alli- 
ance with  the  English  mainly  from  his  dread  of 
the  Narragansets. 

Bribery  and  corruption  are  almost  as  common 
in  barbarian  as  in  civilized  courts.  Canonicus 
had  brought  over  to  his  cause  one  of  the  minor 
chiefs  of  Massasoit,  named  Corbitant.  This- 


1621.]  CLOUDS  OF  WAR.  81 

Corruption  at  court.  A  rebellion.  Flight  of  Massasoit. 

man,  audacious  and  reckless,  began  to  rail  bit- 
terly at  the  peace  existing  between  the  Indians 
and  the  English.  Boldly  he  declared  that  Mas- 
sasoit was  a  traitor,  and  ought  to  be  deposed. 
Sustained  as  Corbitant  was  by  the  whole  mili- 
tary power  of  the  Narragansets,  he  soon  gath- 
ered a  party  about  him  sufficiently  strong  to  bid 
defiance  to  Massasoit.  The  sovereign  of  the 
Wampanoags  was  even  compelled  to  take  ref- 
uge from  arrest  by  flight. 

The  colonists  heard  these  tidings  with  great 
solicitude,  and  learning  that  Corbitant  was  with- 
in a  few  miles  of  them,  at  Namasket  (Middle- 
borough),  striving  to  rouse  the  natives  to  unite 
with  the  Narragansets  against  them,  they  pri- 
vately sent  Squantum  and  another  friendly  In- 
dian, Hobbomak,  to  Namasket,  to  ascertain  what 
had  become  of  Massasoit,  and  how  serious  was 
the  peril  with  which  they  were  threatened. 

The  next  day  Hobbomak  returned  alone, 
breathless  and  terrified.  He  reported  that  they 
had  hardly  arrived  at  Namasket  when  Corbi- 
tant beset  the  wigwam  into  which  they  had  en- 
tered with  a  band  of  armed  men,  and  seized 
them  both  as  prisoners.  He  declared  that  they 
both  should  die,  saying  that  when  Squantum- 
was  dead  the  English  would  have  lost  their 

2—6 


KING  PHILIP.  [1621. 

Reported  death  of  Squantum.  Action  of  the  Puritans. 

tongue.  Brandishing  a  knife,  the  savage  ap- 
proached Squantum  to  stab  him.  Hobbomak, 
being  a  very  powerful  man,  at  that  moment 
broke  from  the  grasp  of  those  who  held  him, 
and  outrunning  his  pursuers,  succeeded  in  re- 
gaining Plymouth.  He  said  that  he  had  no 
doubt  that  Squantum  was  killed. 

These  were  melancholy  and  alarming  tidings. 
Governor  Bradford  immediately  assembled  the 
few  men — about  twenty  in  number — of  the  fee- 
ble colony,  to  decide  what  should  be  done. 
After  looking  to  God  for  counsel,  and  after  calm 
deliberation,  it  was  resolved  that,  if  they  should 
suffer  their  friends  and  messengers  to  be  thus 
assailed  and  murdered  with  impunity,  the  hos- 
tile Indians  would  be  encouraged  to  continued 
aggressions,  and  no  Indians  would  dare  to  main- 
tain friendly  relations  with  them.  They  there- 
fore adopted  the  valiant  determination  to  send 
ten  men,  one  half  of  their  whole  number,  with 
Hobbomak  as  their  guide,  to  seize  Corbitant 
and  avenge  the  outrage. 

The  14th  of  August,  1621,  was  a  dark  and 
stormy  day,  when  this  little  band  set  out  on  its 
bold  adventure.  All  the  day  long,  as  they  si- 
lently threaded  the  paths  of  the  forest,  the  rain 
dripped  upon  them.  Late  in  the  afternoon  they 


1621.]          CLOUDS   OF   WAR.  83 

The  army.  Directions  to  the  men.  Approach  to  the  wigwam. 

arrived  within  four  miles  of  Namasket.  They 
then  thought  it  best  to  conceal  themselves  until 
after  dark,  that  they  might  fall  upon  their  foe 
by  surprise.  Captain  Standish  led  the  band. 
To  every  man  he  gave  minute  directions  as  to 
the  part  he  was  to  perform.  Night,  wet  and 
stormy,  soon  darkened  around  them  in  Egyp- 
tian blackness.  They  could  hardly  see  a  hand's 
breadth  before  them.  Groping  along,  they  soon 
lost  their  way,  and  became  entangled  in  the 
thick  undergrowth.  Wet,  weary,  and  deject- 
ed, they  toiled  on,  and  at  last  again  happily  hit 
the  trail.  It  was  after  midnight  when  they 
arrived  within  sight  of  the  glimmering  fires  of 
the  little  Indian  hamlet  of  Namasket.  They 
then  sat  down,  and  ate  from  their  knapsacks  a 
hearty  meal.  The  food  which  remained  they 
threw  away,  that  they  might  have  nothing  to 
obstruct  them  in  the  conflict  which  might  en- 
sue. 

They  then  cautiously  approached  a  large 
wigwam  where  Hobbomak  supposed  that  Cor- 
bitant  and  his  men  were  sleeping.  Silently 
they  surrounded  the  hut,  the  gloom  of  the  night 
and  the  wailings  of  the  storm  securing  them 
from  being  either  seen  or  heard.  At  a  signal, 
two  muskets  were  fired  to  terrify  the  savages, 


84  ,      KING   PHILIP.  [1621. 

The  attack.  "  I  am  a  squaw !"  Escape  of  Corbitant. 

and  Captain  Standish,  with  three  or  four  men, 
rushed  into  the  hut.  The  ground  floor,  dimly- 
lighted  by  some  dying  embers,  was  covered 
with  sleeping  savages — men,  women,  and  chil- 
dren. A  scene  of  indescribable  consternation 
and  confusion  ensued.  Through  Hobbomak, 
Captain  Standish  ordered  every  one  to  remain, 
assuring  them  that  he  had  come  for  Corbitant, 
the  murderer  of  Squantum,  and  that,  if  he  were 
not  there,  no  one  else  should  be  injured.  But 
the  savages,  terrified  by  the  midnight  surprise 
and  by  the  report  of  the  muskets,  were  bereft 
of  reason.  Many  of  them  endeavored  to  escape, 
and  were  severely  wounded  by  the  colonists  in 
their  attempts  to  stop  them.  The  Indian  boys, 
seeing  that  the  women  were  not  molested,  ran 
around,  frantically  exclaiming,  "  I  am  a  squaw ! 
I  am  a  squaw!" 

At  last  order  was  restored,  and  it  was  found 
that  Corbitant  was  not  there,  but  that  he  had 
gone  off  with  all  his  train,  and  that  Squantum 
was  not  killed.  A  bright  fire  was  now  kin- 
dled, that  the  hut  might  be  carefully  searched. 
Its  blaze  illumined  one  of  the  wildest  of  imag- 
inable scenes.  The  wigwam,  spacious  and 
rudely  constructed  of  boughs,  mats,  and  bark ; 
the  affrighted  savages,  men,  women,  and  chil- 


1621.]          CLOUDS  OF   WAR.  85 

Appearance  of  the  huts.     Squantum  found.     Threats  of  Capt  Standish. 

dren,  in  their  picturesque  dress  and'  undress,  a 
few  -with  ghastly  wounds,  faint  and  bleeding ; 
the  various  weapons  and  utensils  of  barbarian 
life  hanging  around  ;  the  bold  colonists  in  their 
European  dress  and  arms;  the  fire  blazing  in 
the  centre  of  the  hut,  all  combined  to  present 
a  scene  such  as  few  eyes  have  ever  witnessed. 
Hobbomak  now  climbed  to  the  top  of  the  hut 
and  shouted  for  Squantum.  He  immediately 
came  from  another  wigwam.  Having  disarmed 
the  savages  of  their  bows  and  arrows,  the  colo- 
nists gathered  around  the  fire  to  dry  their  drip- 
ping clothes,  and  waited  for  the  light  of  the 
morning. 

With  the  early  light,  all  who  were  friendly  to 
the  English  gathered  around  them,  while  the 
faction  in  favor  of  Corbitant  fled  into  the  wil- 
derness. A  large  group  was  soon  assembled. 
Captain  Standish,  in  words  of  conciliation  and 
of  firmness,  informed  them  that,  though  Corbi- 
tant had  escaped,  yet,  if  he  continued  his  hos- 
tility, no  place  of  retreat  would  secure  him  from 
punishment ;  and  that,  if  any  violence  were  of- 
fered to  Massasoit  or  to  any  of  his  subjects  by 
the  Narragansets,  or  by  any  one  else,  the  colo- 
nists would  avenge  it  to  the  utter  overthrow  of 
those  thus  offending.  He  expressed  great  re- 


86  KING  PHILIP.  [1621. 

The  return.  Reconciliation  of  Corbitaut.         Prosperous  summer. 

gret  that  any  of  the  Indians  had  been  wounded 
in  consequence  of  their  endeavors  to  escape  from 
the  house,  and  offered  to  take  the  wounded 
home,  that  they  might  be  carefully  healed. 

After  breakfasting  with  the  Indians,  this  he- 
roic band,  accompanied  by  Squantum,  some  of 
the  wounded,  and  several  other  friendly  Indians, 
set  out  on  their  return.  They  arrived  at  home 
in  safety  the  same  evening.  This  well-judged 
and  decisive  measure  at  once  checked  the  prog- 
ress of  Corbitant  in  exciting  disaffection.  He 
soon  found  it  expedient  to  seek  reconciliation, 
and,  through  the  intercession  of  Massasoit, 
signed  a  treaty  of  submission  and  friendship; 
and  even  Canonicus,  sovereign  of  the  Narra- 
gansets,  sent  a  messenger,  perhaps  as  a  spy,  but 
professedly  to  treat  for  peace.  Thus  this  cloud 
of  war  was  dissipated. 

On  the  whole,  the  Pilgrims  had  enjoyed  a 
very  prosperous  summer.  They  were  eminent- 
ly just  and  kind  in  their  treatment  of  the  In- 
dians. In  trading  with  them  they  obtained  furs 
and  many  other  articles,  which  contributed  much 
to  their  comfort.  Fish  was  abundant  in  the 
bay.  Their  corn  grew  luxuriantly,  and  their 
fields  waved  with  a  rich  and  golden  harvest. 
With  the  autumnal  weather  came  abundance  of 


1621.]  CLOUDS   OF  WAR.  87 

Rumors  of  war.  New  expedition.  Evidences  of  the  plague. 

water-fowl,  supplying  them  with  delicious  meat. 
Thus  were  they  blessed  with  peace  and  plenty. 

Various  rumors  had  reached  the  colonists 
that  several  of  the  tribes  of  the  Massachusetts 
Indians,  so  called,  inhabiting  the  islands  and 
main  land  at  the  northwestern  extremity  of 
Massachusetts  Bay,  were  threatening  hostilities. 
It  was  consequently  decided  to  send  an  expedi- 
tion to  them,  not  to  intimidate,  but  to  conciliate 
with  words  of  sincerity  and  deeds  of  kindness. 

At  midnight,  September  the  18th,  the  tide 
then  serving,  a  small  party  set  sail,  and  during 
the  day,  with  a  gentle  wind,  made  about  sixty 
miles  north.  Not  deeming  it  safe  to  land,  they 
remained  in  their  boat  during  the  night,  and  the 
next  morning  landed  under  a  cliff.  Here  they 
found  some  natives,  who  seemed  to  cower  before 
them  in  terror.  It  appeared  afterward  that 
Squantum  had  told  the  natives  that  the  English 
had  a  box  in  which  they  kept  the  plague,  and 
that,  if  the  Indians  offended  them,  they  would 
let  the  awful  scourge  loose.  Every  where  the 
English  saw  evidences  of  the  ravages  of  the 
pestilence  to  which  we  have  so  often  referred. 
There  were  desolate  villages  and  deserted  corn- 
fields, and  but  a  few  hundred  Indians  wander- 
ing here  and  there  where  formerly  there  had  been 


88  KING  PHILIP.  [1621. 

Justice  of 'he  Pilgrim?.        Explorations.       Appearance  of  the  harbor. 

thousands.  The  kindness  with  which  they 
treated  the  Indians,  and  the  fairness  with  which 
they  traded  with  them,  won  confidence.  Squan- 
tum  at  one  time  suggested  that,  by  way  of 
punishment,  and  to  teach  the  savages  a  lesson, 
they  should  by  violence  take  away  their  furs, 
which  were  almost  their  only  treasures.  Our 
fathers  nobly  replied,  "Were  they  ever  so  bad, 
we  would  not  wrong  them,  or  give  them  any  just 
occasion  against  us.  We  shall  pay  no  attention 
to  their  threatening  words,  but,  if  they  attack  us, 
we  shall  then  punish  them  severely." 

The  Pilgrims  explored  quite  minutely  this 
magificent  harbor,  then  solitary  and  fringed 
with  rayless  forests,  now  alive  with  commerce, 
and  decorated  with  mansions  of  refinement  and 
opulence.  The  long  promontory,  now  crowded 
with  the  busy  streets  and  thronged  dwellings 
of  Boston,  was  then  a  dense  and  silent  wilder- 
ness, threaded  with  a  few  Indian  trails.  Along 
the  shore  several  rude  wigwams  were  scattered, 
the  smoke  curling  from  their  fires  from  among 
the  trees,  with  naked  children  playing  around 
the  birch  canoes  upon  the  beach. 

In  the  evening  of  a  serene  day  the  moon  rose 
brilliant  on  the  harbor,  illumining  with  almost 
celestial  beauty  the  islands  and  the  sea.  Many 


1621.]          CLOUDS  OF  WAR.  89 

Preparations  for  return.  Friendly  relations.  The  harbor. 

of  the  islands  were  then  crowned  with  forests ; 
others  were  cleared  smooth  and  verdant,  but 
swept  entirely  clean  of  inhabitants  by  the  dread- 
ful plague.  The  Pilgrims,  rejoicing  in  the  rays 
of  the  autumnal  moon,  prepared  to  spread  theii 
sails.  ' '  Having  well  spent  the  day, "  they  write, 
*'  we  returned  to  the  shallop,  almost  all  the  wom- 
en accompanying  us  to  trucke,  who  sold  their 
coats  from  their  backes,  and  tyed  boughes  about 
them,  but  with  great  shamefastness,  for  indeed 
they  are  more  modest  than  some  of  our  English 
women  are.  We  promised  them  to  come  again 
to  them,  and  they  us  to  keep  their  skins. 

"Within  this  bay  the  salvages  say  there  are 
two  rivers,  the  one  whereof  we  saw  having  a 
fair  entrance,  but  we  had  no  time  to  discover  it. 
Better  harbors  for  shipping  can  not  be  than 
here  are.  At  the  entrance  of  the  bay  are  many 
rocks,  and,  in  all  likelihood,  very  good  fishing 
ground.  Having  a  light  moon,  we  set  sail  at 
evening,  and  before  next  day  noon  got  home, 
Avith  a  considerable  quantity  of  beaver,  and  a 
good  report  of  the  place,  wishing  we  had  been 
seated  there." 

Thus,  by  kindness,  the  natives  of  this  i-egion 
were  won  to  friendship,  and  amicable  relations 
were  established.  Before  the  close  of  this  year 


90  KING   PHILIP.  [1622. 

Arrival  of  emigrants  from  England.  Declaration  of  war. 

another  vessel  arrived  from  England,  bringing 
thirty-five  persons  to  join  the  colony.  Though 
these  emigrants  were  poor,  and,  having  con- 
sumed nearly  all  their  food  on  a  long  voyage, 
were  nearly  starved,  the  lonely  colonists  re- 
ceived the  acquisition  with  great  joy.  Houses 
were  immediately  built  for  their  accommodation, 
and  they  were  fed  from  the  colony  stores.  Win- 
ter now  again  whitened  the  hills  of  Plymouth. 
Early  in  January,  1622,  Canonicus,  sovereign 
chief  of  the  Narragansets,  notwithstanding  the 
alliance  of  the  foregoing  summer  into  which  he 
had  entered,  dreading  the  encroachments  of  the 
white  men,  and  particularly  apprehensive  of  the 
strength  which  their  friendship  gave  to  his  he-  * 
reditary  enemies,  the  Mohegans,  sent  to  Gov- 
ernor Bradford  a  bundle  of  arrows  tied  up  in 
the  skin  of  a  rattlesnake.  Squantum  was  called 
to  interpret  the  significance  of  such  a  gift.  He 
said  that  it  was  the  Indian  mode  of  expressing 
hostility  and  of  sending  a  declaration  of  war. 
This  act  shows  an  instinctive  sense  of  honor  in 
the  barbarian  chieftain  which  civilized  men  do 
not  always  imitate.  Even  the  savages  cherish- 
ed ideas  of  chivalry  which  led  them  to  scorn  to 
strike  an  unsuspecting  and  defenseless  foe.  The 
friendly  Indians  around  Plymouth  assured  the 


1622.J  CLOUDS   OF  WAR.  91 

Canonicus.  Weakness  of  the  Pilgrims.  Council  called. 

colonists  that  Canonicus  was  making  great  prep- 
arations for  war ;  that  he  could  bring  five  thou- 
sand warriors  into  the  field ;  that  he  had  sent 
spies  to  ascertain  the  condition  of  the  English 
and  their  weakness ;  and  that  he  had  boasted 
that  he  could  eat  them  all  up  at  a  mouthful.  It 
is  pleasant  to  record  that  our  fathers  had  not 
provoked  this  hostility  by  any  act  of  aggression. 
They  had  been  thus  far  most  eminently  just  and 
benevolent  in  all  their  intercourse  with  the  na- 
tives. They  were  settled  upon  land  to  which 
Canonicus  pretended  no  claim,  and  were  on 
terms  of  cordial  friendship  with  all  the  Indians 
around  them.  The  Pilgrims  at  this  time  had 
not  more  than  twenty  men  capable  of  bearing 
arms,  and  five  thousand  savages  were  clashing 
their  weapons,  and  filling  the  forest  with  their 
war-whoops,  preparing  to  attack  them.  Their 
peril  was  indeed  great. 

Governor  Bradford  called  a  council  of  his 
most  judicious  men,  and  it  was  decided  that, 
under  these  circumstances,  any  appearance  of 
timidity  would  but  embolden  their  enemies. 
The  rattlesnake  skin  was  accordingly  returned 
filled  with  powder  and  bullets,  and  accompanied 
by  a  defiant  message  that,  if  Canonicus  prefer- 
red war  to  peace,  the  colonists  were  ready  at 


92  KING   PHILIP.  [1622. 

Pickwickian  challenge.  Preparations  for  defense. 

any  moment  to  meet  him,  and  that  he  would 
rue  the  day  in  which  he  converted  friends  into 
enemies. 

Barbarian  as  well  as  civilized  blusterers  can, 
when  discretion  prompts,  creep  out  of  an  ex- 
ceedingly small  hole.  Canonicus  had  no  wish 
to  meet  a  foe  who  was  thus  prompt  for  the  en- 
counter. He  immediately  sent  to  Governor 
Bradford  the  assurance,  in  Narraganset  phrase, 
of  his  high  consideration,  and  begged  him  to  be- 
lieve that  the  arrows  and  the  snake  skin  were 
sent  purely  in  a  Pickwickian  sense. 

The  threatening  aspect  of  affairs  at  this  time 
led  the  colonists  to  surround  their  whole  little 
village,  including  also  the  top  of  the  hill,  on  the 
side  of  which  it  was  situated,  with  a  strong  pali- 
sade, consisting  of  posts  some  twelve  feet  high 
firmly  planted  in  the  ground  in  contact  with 
each  other.  It  was  an  enormous  labor  to  con- 
struct this  fortification  in  the  dead  of  winter. 
There  were  three  entrance  gates  to  •  the  little 
town  thus  walled  in,  with  bulwarks  to  defend 
them.  Behind  this  rampart,  with  loop-holes 
through  which  the  defenders  could  fire  upon  any 
approaching  foe,  the  colonists  felt  quite  secure. 
A  large  cannon  was  also  mounted  upon  the  sum- 
mit of  the  hill,  which  would  sweep  all  the  ap- 


1622.J          CLOUDS  OF  WAE.  9<> 

Completion  of  the  fortification.     Tl«e  challenge  retracted.    An  arrival. 

preaches  with  ball  and  grape-shot.  Sentinels 
were  posted  night  and  day,  to  guard  against  sur- 
prise, and  their  whole  available  force  was  divided 
into  four  companies,  each  with  its  commander, 
and  its  appointed  place  of  rendezvous  in  case 
of  an  attack.  The  months  of  January  and  Feb- 
ruary were  occupied  in  this  work.  Early  in 
March  the  fortification  was  completed. 

The  heroic  defiance  which  was  returned  to 
Canonicus,  and  the  vigorous  measures  of  defense 
adopted,  alarmed  the  Narragansets.  They  im- 
mediately ceased  all  hostile  demonstrations,  and 
Canonicus  remained  after  this,  until  his  death, 
apparently  a  firm  friend  of  the  English. 

In  June,  to  the  great  annoyance  of  the  Pil- 
grims, two  vessels  came  into  the  harbor  of 
Plymouth,  bringing  sixty  wild  and  rude  adven- 
turers, who,  neither  fearing  God  nor  regarding 
man,  had  come  to  the  New  World  to  seek  their 
fortunes.  They  were  an  idle  and  dissolute  set, 
greedy  for  gain,  and  ripe  for  any  deeds  of  dis- 
honesty or  violence.  They  had  made  but  poor 
provision  for  their  voyage,  and  were  almost 
starved.  The  Pilgrims  received  them  kindly, 
and  gave  them  shelter  and  food  ;  and  yet  the 
ungrateful  wretches  stole  their  corn,  wasted 
their  substance,  and  secretly  reviled  their  hab- 


94  KING   PHILIP.  [1622. 

Kind  reception.  Complaints  from  the  Indians.  Relief  war  tod. 

its  of  sobriety  and  devotion.  Nearly  all  the 
summer  these  unprincipled  adventurers  intruded 
upon  the  hospitality  of  the  Pilgrims.  In  the 
autumn,  these  men,  sixty  in  number,  went  to  a 
place  which  they  had  selected  in  Massachusetts 
Bay,  then  called  Wessagusset,  now  the  town  of 
Weymouth,  which  they  had  selected  for  their 
residence.  They  left  their  sick  behind  them,  to 
be  nursed  by  those  Christian  Pilgrims  whose 
piety  had  excited  their  ribald  abuse. 

Hardly  had  these  men  left  ere  the  ears  of  the 
Pilgrims  were  filled  with  the  clamors  which 
their  injustice  and  violence  raised  from  the  out- 
raged Indians.  The  Weymouth  miscreants 
stole  their  corn,  insulted  their  females,  and  treat- 
ed them  with  every  vile  indignity.  The  In- 
dians at  last  became  exasperated  beyond  endur- 
ance, and  threatened  the  total  destruction  of  the 
dissolute  crew.  At  last  starvation  stares  them 
in  the  face,  and  they  send  in  October  to  Plym- 
outh begging  for  food.  The  Pilgrims  have 
not  more  than  enough  to  meet  their  own  wants 
during  the  winter.  But,  to  save  them  from 
famishing  by  hunger,  Governor  Bradford  him- 
self takes  a  small  party  in  a  boat  and  sails  along 
the  coast,  purchasing  corn  of  the  Indians,  get- 
ting a  few  quarts  here  and  a  few  bushels  there, 


1622.J          CLOUDS  OF  WAR.  95 

Death  of  Squantuin.         His  prayer.         Governor  Bradford's  journey. 

until  he  had  collected  twenty-eight  hogsheads 
of  corn  and  beans.  While  at  Chatham,  then 
called  Manamoyk,  Squantum  was  taken  sick  of 
a  fever  and  died.  It  is  a  touching  tribute  to  the 
kindness  of  our  Pilgrim  fathers  that  this  poor 
Indian  testified  so  much  love  for  them.  In  his 
dying  hour  he  prayed  fervently  that  God  would 
take  him  to  the  heaven  of  the  Englishmen,  that 
he  might  dwell  with  them  forever.  As  remem- 
brances of  his  affection,  he  bequeathed  all  his 
little  effects  to  sundry  of  his  English  friends. 
Governor  Bradford  and  his  companions,  with 
tears,  followed  the  remains  of  their  faithful  in- 
terpreter to  the  grave,  and  then,  with  saddened 
hearts,  continued  their  voyage. 

At  Nauset,  now  Eastham,  their  shallop  was 
unfortunately  wrecked.  Governor  Bradford 
stored  the  corn  on  shore,  placed  it  under  the  care 
of  the  friendly  Indians  there,  and,  taking  a  native 
for  a  guide,  set  out  on  foot  to  travel  O'ty  miles 
through  the  forest  to  Plymouth.  The  natives 
all  along  the  way  received  him  with  kindness, 
and  did  every  thing  in  their  power  to  aid  him. 
Having  arrived  at  Plymouth,  he  dispatched 
Captain  Standish  with  another  shallop  to  fetch 
the  corn.  The  bold  captain  had  a  prosperous 
though  a  very  tempestuous  voyage.  While  at 


96  KING  PHILIP.  '[1622. 

Theft  committed.  Return  of  the  articles. 

Nauset  an  Indian  stole  some  trifle  from  the 
shallop  as  she  lay  in  a  creek.  Captain  Stand- 
ish  immediately  went  to  the  sachem  of  the  tribe, 
and  informed  him  that  the  lost  goods  must  be 
restored,  or  he  should  make  reprisals.  The  next 
morning  the  sachem  came  and  delivered  the 
goods,  saying  that  he  was  very  sorry  the  crime 
had  been  committed ;  that  the  thief  had  been 
arrested  and  punished  ;  and  that  he  had  ordered 
his  women  to  make  some  bread  for  Captain 
Standish,  in  token  of  his  desire  to  cultivate  just 
and  friendly  relations.  Captain  Standish  hav- 
ing arrived  at  Plymouth,  a  supply  of  corn  was 
delivered  to  help  the  people  at  Weymouth. 

But  these  lawless  adventurers  were  as  im- 
provident as  they  were  vicious  and  idle.  By 
the  month  of  February  they  were  again  desti- 
tute and  starving.  They  had  borrowed  all  they 
could,  and  had  stolen  all  they  could,  and  were 
now  in  a  state  of  extreme  misery,  many  of  them 
having  already  perished  from  exposure  and 
want.  The  Indians  hated  them  and  despised 
them.  Conspiracies  were  formed  to  kill  them 
all,  and  many  Indians,  scattered  here  and  there, 
were  in  favor  of  destroying  all  the  white  men. 
They  foresaw  that  civilized  and  savage  life  could 
not  abide  side  by  side.  The  latter  part  of  Feb- 


1622.]  CLOUDS  OP  WAR.  97 

The  Weymouth  settlers  implore  aid. 

ruary  the  Weymouth  people  sent  a  letter  to 
Plymouth  by  an  Indian,  stating  their  deplora- 
ble condition,  and  imploring  further  aid.  They 
had  become  so  helpless  and  degraded  that  the 
Indians  seem  actually  to  have  made  slaves  of 
them,  compelling  them  to  perform  the  most  me- 
nial services.  The  letter  contained  the  follow- 
ing dolorous  complaints : 

"  The  boldness  of  the  Indians  increases  abun- 
dantly, insomuch  that  the  victuals  we  get  they 
will  take  out  of  our  pots  and  eat  it  before  our 
faces.  If  we  try  to  prevent  them,  they  will  hold 
a  knife  at  our  breasts.  To  satisfy  them,  we 
have  been  compelled  to  hang  one  of  our  com- 
pany. We  have  sold  our  clothes  for  corn,  and 
are  ready  to  starve,  both  with  cold  and  hunger 
also,  because  we  can  not  endure  to  get  victuals 
by  reason  of  our  nakedness." 

Under  these  circumstances,  one  of  the  Wey- 
mouth men,  ranging  the  woods,  came  to  an  In- 
dian barn  and  stole  some  corn.  The  owner, 
finding  by  the  footprints  that  it  was  an  English- 
man who  had  committed  the  theft,  determined 
to  have  revenge.  With  insulting  and  defiant 
confederates,  he  went  to  the  plantation  and  de- 
manded that  the  culprit  should  be  hung,  threat- 
ening, if  there  were  not  prompt  acquiescence  in 

2—7 


98  KING  PHILIP.  [1622. 

IX ^graceful  proceeding.  Injustice  of  Hudibraa. 

the  demand,  the  utter  destruction  of  the  colo- 
nists. The  consternation  at  Weymouth  was 
great.  Nearly  all  were  sick  and  half  famished, 
and  they  could  present  no  resistance.  After 
very  anxious  deliberation,  it  was  decided  that, 
since  the  man  who  committed  the  theft  was 
young  and  strong,  and  a  skillful  cobler,  whose 
services  could  not  be  dispensed  with,  they  would 
by  stratagem  save  his  life,  and  substitute  for 
him  a  poor  old  bedrid  weaver,  who  was  not  only 
useless  to  them,  but  a  burden.  This  economi- 
cal arrangement  was  unanimously  adopted.  The 
poor  old  weaver,  bound  hand  and  foot,  and 
dressed  in  the  clothes  of  the  culprit,  was  dragged 
from  his  bed,  and  was  soon  seen  dangling  in  the 
air,  to  the  great  delight  of  the  Indians. 

Much  has  been  written  upon  this  disgraceful 
transaction,  and  various  versions  of  it  have  been 
given,  with  sundry  details,  but  the  facts,  so  far 
as  can  now  be  ascertained,  are  as  we  have 
stated.  The  deed  is  in  perfect  accordance  with 
the  whole  course  pursued  by  the  miserable  men 
who  perpetrated  it.  The  author  of  Hudibras 
unjustly — we  hope  not  maliciously — in  his  wit- 
ty doggerel,  ascribes  this  transaction  of  the  mis- 
creants at  Weymouth  to  the  Pilgrims  at  Plym- 
outh. The  mirth-loving  satirist  seemed  to  re- 


1622.]          CLOUDS   OF   WAR.  99 

Sickness  of  Massasoit  Deputation  from  Plymouth. 

joice  at  the  chance  of  directing  a  shaft  against 
the  Puritans. 

Just  at  this  time  news  came  to  Plymouth 
that  Massasoit  was  very  sick,  and  at  the  point 
of  death.  Governor  Bradford  immediately  dis- 
patched Mr.  Edward  Winslow  and  Mr.  John 
Hampden*  to  the  dying  chieftain,  with  such 
medical  aid  as  the  colony  could  furnish.  Their 
friend  Hobbomak  accompanied  them  as  guide 
and  interpreter.  Massasoit  had  two  sons  quite 
young,  Wamsutta  and  Pometacom,  the  eldest 
of  whom  would,  according  to  Indian  custom, 
inherit  the  chieftainship.  It  was,  however, 
greatly  feared  that  the  ambitious  and  energetic 
Corbitant,  who  had  manifested  much  hostility 
to  the  English,  might  avail  himself  of  the  death 
of  Massasoit,  and  grasp  the  reins  of  power. 
The  deputation  from  Plymouth  traveled  the 
first  day  through  the  woods  as  far  as  Middle- 
borough,  then  the  little  Indian  hamlet  of  Na- 
masket.  There  they  passed  the  night  in  the 
wigwam  of  an  Indian.  They,  the  next  day, 

*  There  is  much  evidence  that  this  was  the  celebrated  John 
Hampden,  renowned  in  the  time  of  Charles  I.,  and  to  whon? 
Gray,  in  his  Elegy,  alludes  : 

"  The  village  Hampden,  that  with  dauntless  breast 
The  little  tyrant  of  his  fields  withstood." 


100  KING   PHILIP.  [1622. 

The  journey.  Reported  death  of  Massasoit.  Hobbomak. 

continued  their  journey,  and  crossing  in  a  canoe 
the  arm  of  the  bay,  which  there  runs  far  inland 
and  three  miles  beyond,  with  much  anxiety  ap- 
proached the  dwelling-place  of  Corbitant  at 
Mattapoiset,  in  the  present  town  of  Swanzey. 
They  had  been  informed  by  the  way  that  Mas- 
aasoit  was  dead,  and  they  had  great  fears  that 
Corbitant  had  already  taken  steps  as  a  usurper, 
and  that  they,  two  defenseless  men,  might  fall 
victims  to  his  violence. 

Hobbomak,  who  had  embraced  Christianity, 
and  was  apparently  a  consistent  Christian,  was 
greatly  beloved  by  Massasoit.  The  honest  In- 
dian, when  he  heard  the  tidings  of  his  chief- 
tain's death,  bitterly  deplored  his  loss. 

"My  loving  sachem!  my  loving  sachem!" 
lie  exclaimed  ;  "  many  have  I  known,  but  never 
any  like  thee." 

Then  turning  to  Mr.  Winslow,  he  added, 
"While  you  live  you  will  never  see  his  like 
among  the  Indians.  He  was  no  deceiver,  nor 
Woody,  nor  cruel,  like  the  other  Indians.  He 
never  cherished  a  spirit  of  revenge,  and  was 
easily  reconciled  to  those  who  had  offended 
him.  He  was  ever  ready  to  listen  to  the  ad- 
vice of  others,  and  governed  his  people  by  wis- 
dom and  without  severity." 


1622.]          CLOUDS   OF   WAR.  101 

Hospitality  of  Corbitant's  wife.  Arrival  at  Mount  Hope. 

When  they  arrived  at  Corbitant's  house  they 
found  the  sachem  not  at  home.  His  wife,  how- 
ever, treated  them  with  great  kindness,  and  in- 
formed them  that  Massasoit  was  still  alive, 
though  at  the  point  of  death.  They  therefore 
hastened  on  to  Mount  Hope.  Mr.  Winslow 
gives  the  following  account  of  the  scene  wit- 
nessed at  the  bedside  of  the  sick  monarch : 

"  When  we  arrived  thither,  we  found  the 
house  so  full  that  we  could  scarce  get  in,  though 
they  used  their  best  diligence  to  make  way  for 
us.  They  were  in  the  midst  of  their  charms 
for  him,  making  such  a  fiendlike  noise  that  it 
distempered  us  who  were  well,  and  therefore 
was  unlike  to  ease  him  that  was  sick.  About 
him  were  six  or  eight  women,  who  chafed  his- 
arms,  legs,  and  thighs,  to  keep  heat  in  him. 
When  they  had  made  an  end  of  their  charming, 
one  told  him  that  his  friends  the  English  were 
come  to  see  him.  Having  understanding  left, 
but  his  sight  was  wholly  gone,  he  asked  who 
was  come.  They  told  him  Winsnow,  for  they 
can  not  pronounce  the  letter  Z,  but  ordinarily  n 
in  the  place  thereof.  He  desired  to  speak  with 
me.  When  I  came  to  him,  and  they  told  him 
of  it,  he  put  forth  his  hand  to  me,  which  I  took. 
Then  he  said  twice,  though  very  inwardly,  Keen 


102  KING   PHILIP.  [1622. 

Massasoit' s  welcome.          His  recovery.          Kindness  of  the  Pilgrims. 

Winsnowf  which  is  to  say,  Art  thou  Wins- 
low?  I  answered  Ahhe,  that  is,  yes.  Then 
he  doubled  these  words :  Malta  neen  woncka- 
net  namen  Winsnow  ;  that  is  to  say,  O  Wins- 
low,  I  shall  never  see  thee  again  /" 

Mr.  Winslow  immediately  prepared  some  re- 
freshing broth  for  the  sick  man,  and,  by  careful 
nursing,  to  the  astonishment  of  all,  he  recover- 
ed. Massasoit  appeared  to  be  exceedingly 
grateful  for  this  kindness,  and  ever  after  attrib- 
uted his  recovery  to  the  skill  and  attentions  of 
his  English  friends.  His  unquestionable  sin- 
cerity won  the  confidence  of  the  English,  and 
they  became  more  fully  convinced  of  his  real 
worth  than  ever  before.  Mr.  Winslow  wished 
for  a  chicken  to  make  some  broth.  An  Indian 
immediately  set  out,  at  two  o'clock  at  night,  for 
a  run  of  forty  miles  through  the  wilderness  to 
Plymouth.  In  a  surprisingly  short  time,  he  re- 
turned with  two  live  chickens.  Massasoit  was 
so  much  pleased  with  the  fowls — animals  which 
he  had  never  seen  before — that  he  would  not 
allow  them  to  be  killed,  but  kept  them«as  pets. 
The  kind-hearted  yet  imperial  old  chieftain  man- 
ifested great  solicitude  for  the  welfare  of  his 
people.  He  entreated  Mr.  Winslow  to  visit  all 
his  villages,  that  he  might  relieve  the  sick  and 


1622.J          CLOUDS   OF   WAR.  103 

Mr.  Winslow  as  physician.  Alarming  tidings. 

the  suffering  who  were  in  them.  Mr.  Winslow  re- 
mained several  days,  and  his  fame  as  a  physician 
spread  so  rapidly  that  great  crowds  gathered  in 
an  encampment  around  Mount  Hope  to  gain  re- 
lief from  a  thousand  nameless  ills.  Some  came 
from  the  distance  of  more  than  a  hundred  miles. 
While  at  Mount  Hope,  Massasoit  informed 
Mr.  Winslow  that  Wittuwamet,  a  sachem  of 
one  of  the  Massachusetts  tribes  of  Indians  near 
Weymouth,  and  several  other  Indian  chiefs,  had 
formed  a  plot  for  the  purpose  of  cutting  off  the 
two  English  colonies.  Massasoit  stated  that 
he  had  been  often  urged  to  join  in  the  conspira- 
cy, but  had  always  refused  to  do  so,  and  that 
he  had  done  every  thing  in  his  power  to  prevent 
it.  Mr.  Winslow  very  anxiously  inquired  into 
all  the  particulars,  and  ascertained  that  the 
Weymouth  men  had  so  thoroughly  aroused  the 
contempt  as  well  as  the  indignation  of  the  neigh- 
boring Indians,  that  their  total  massacre  was 
resolved  upon.  The  Indians,  however,  both  re- 
spected arid  feared  the  colonists  at  Plymouth ; 
and,  apprehensive  that  they  might  avenge  the 
slaughter  of  their  countrymen,  it  was  resolved, 
by  a  sudden  and  treacherous  assault,  to  over- 
whelm them  also,  so  that  not  a  single  English- 
man should  remain  to  tell  the  tale. 


104  KING   PHILIP.  [1622. 

The  party  leave  Mount  Hope.  Conversation  with  <  'nrbitant. 

With  these  alarming  tidings,  Mr.  Winslow, 
with  Mr.  Hampden  and  Hobbomak,  left  Mount 
Hope  on  his  return.  Corbitant,  their  out- 
wardly-reconciled enemy,  accompanied  them  as 
far  as  his  house  in  what  is  now  Swanzey. 

"That night, "writes  Mr.  Winslow,  "through 
the  earnest  request  of  Corbitant,  we  lodged  with 
him  at  Mattapoiset.  On  the  way  I  had  much 
conference  with  him,  so  likewise  at  his  house, 
he  being  a  notable  politician,  yet  full  of  merry 
jests  and  squibs,  and  never  better  pleased  than 
when  the  like  are  returned  upon  him.  Among 
other  things,  he  asked  me  that,  if  he  were  thus 
dangerously  sick,  as  Massasoit  had  been,  and 
should  send  to  Plymouth  for  medicine,  whether 
the  governor  would  send  it ;  and  if  he  would, 
whether  I  would  come  therewith  to  him.  To 
both  which  I  answered  yes ;  whereat  he  gave 
me  many  joyful  thanks." 

"  I  am  surprised,"  said  Corbitant,  after  a  mo- 
ment's thought,  "  that  two  Englishmen  should 
dare  to  venture  so  far  into  our  country  alone. 
Are  you  not  afraid  ?" 

"  Where  there  is  true  love,"  Mr.  Winslow  re- 
plied, "  there  is  no  fear." 

"  But  if  your  love  be  such,"  said  the  wily  In- 
dian, "  and  bear  such  fruit,  how  happens  it  that 


1622.]          CLOUDS  OF   WAR.  105 

Knglish  salutations.  Theological  remarks. 

when  we  come  to  Plymouth,  you  stand  upon 
your  guard,  with  the  mouth  of  your  pieces 
pointed  toward  us  ?" 

"This,"  replied  Mr.  Winslow,  "is  a  mark  of 
respect.  It  is  our  custom  to  receive  our  best 
friends  in  this  manner." 

Corbitant  shook  his  head,  and  said,  "  I  do 
not  like  such  salutations." 

Observing  that  Mr.  Winslow,  before  eating, 
implored  a  blessing,  Corbitant  desired  to  know 
what  it  meant.  Mr.  Winslow  endeavored  to 
explain  to  him  some  of  the  primary  truths  ol 
revealed  religion,  and  repeated  to  him  the  Ten 
Commandments.  Corbitant  listened  to  them 
very  attentively,  and  said  that  he  liked  them 
all  except  the  seventh.  "  It  must  be  very  in- 
convenient," he  said,  "  for  a  man  to  be  tied  all 
his  life  to  one  woman,  whether  she  pleases  him 
or  not." 

As  Mr.  Winslow  continued  his  remarks  upon 
the  goodness  of  God,  and  the  gratitude  he  should 
receive  from  us,  Corbitant  added,  "I  believe  al- 
most as  you  do.  The  being  whom  you  call  God 
we  call  Kichtan." 

Mr.  Winslow  and  his  companions  passed  a 
very  pleasant  night  in  the  Indian  dwelling, 
receiving  the  most  hospitable  entertainment. 


106  KING  PHILIP.  [1622. 

Return  to  Plymouth.  The  army.  Captain  Standish. 

The  next  morning  they  hastened  on  their  way 
to  Plymouth.  They  immediately  informed  the 
governor  of  the  alarming  tidings  they  had  heard 
respecting  the  conspiracy,  and  a  council  of  all 
the  men  in  the  colony  was  convened.  It  was 
unanimously  decided  that  action,  prompt,  vig- 
orous, and  decisive,  was  necessary. 

The  bold  Captain  Standish  was  immediately 
placed  in  command  of  an  army  of  eight  men  to 
proceed  to  Weymouth.  He  embarked  his  force 
in  a  squadron  of  one  boat,  to  set  sail  for  Mas- 
sachusetts— for  Massachusetts  and  Plymouth 
were  then  distinct  colonies.  The  captain  was 
an  intrepid,  impulsive  man,  who  rarely  took 
counsel  of  prudence.  He  would  wrong  no  man, 
and,  let  the  consequences  be  what  they  might, 
he  would  submit  to  wrong  from  no  man.  The 
Pilgrims  valued  him  highly,  and  yet  so  deeply 
regretted  his  fiery  temperament  that  they  were 
unwilling  to  receive  him  to  the  communion  of 
the  Church. 

When  they  arrived  at  Weymouth  they  found 
a  large  number  of  Indians  swaggering  around 
the  wretched  settlement,  and  treating  the  hu- 
miliated and  starving  colonists  with  the  utmost 
insolence.  The  colonists  dared  not  exhibit  the 
slightest  spirit  of  retaliation.  The  Indians  had 


1622.]          CLOUDS  OF   WAR.  107 

Insolence  of  the  Indians.  The  commencement  of  hostilities. 

been  so  accustomed  to  treat  the  godless  race  at 
Weymouth  with  every  indignity,  that  they  had 
almost  forgotten  that  the  Pilgrims  were  men  of 
different  blood.  As  Captain  Standish  and  his 
eight  men  landed,  they  were  met  by  a  mob  of 
Indians,  who,  by  derision  and  insolence,  seemed 
to  aim  to  provoke  a  quarrel.  Wittuwamet,  the 
head  of  the  conspirators,  was  there.  He  was  a 
stout,  brawny  savage,  vulgar,  bold,  and  impu- 
dent, almost  beyond  the  conception  of  a  civil- 
ized mind.  Accompanied  by  a  gang  of  confed- 
erates, he  approached  Captain  Standish,  whet- 
ting his  knife,  and  threatening  his  death  in 
phrase  exceedingly  contemptuous  and  insult- 
ing. By  the  side  of  this  chief  was  another  In- 
dian named  Peksuot,  of  gigantic  stature  and 
Herculean  strength,  who  taunted  the  captain 
with  his  inferior  size,  and  assailed  him  with  a 
volley  of  barbarian  blackguardism.  All  this  it 
would  be  hard  for  a  meek  man  to  bear.  Cap- 
tain Standish  was  not  a  meek  man.  The  hot 
blood  of  the  Puritan  Cavalier  was  soon  at  the 
boiling  point.  Disdaining  to  take  advantage 
even  of  such  a  foe,  he  threw  aside  his  gun,  and 
springing  upon  the  gigantic  Peksuot,  grasped 
at  the  knife  which  was  suspended  from  his  neck, 
the  blade  of  which  was  double-edged,  and  ground 


108  KING  PHILIP.  [1622. 

The  conflict  and  victory.  The  Weymouth  men  go  to  Moahegan. 

to  a  point  as  sharp  as  a  needle.  There  was  a 
moment  of  terrific  conflict,  and  then  the  stout 
Indian  fell  dead  upon  the  ground,  with  the  blood 
gushing  from  many  mortal  wounds.  Another 
Englishman  closed  with  Wittuwamet,  and  there 
was  instantly  a  general  fray.  Wittuwamet  and 
another  Indian  were  killed  ;  another  was  taken 
prisoner  arid  hung  upon  the  spot,  for  conspiring 
to  destroy  the  English  ;  the  rest  fled.  Captain 
Standish  followed  up  his  victory,  and  pursued 
the  fugitives.  A  few  more  were  killed.  This 
unexpected  development  of  courage  and  power 
so  overwhelmed  the  hostile  Indians  that  they 
implored  peace. 

The  Weymouth  men,  thus  extricated  from 
peril,  were  afraid  to  remain  there  any  longer, 
though  Captain  Standish  told  them  that  he 
should  not  hesitate  to  stay  with  one  half  their 
number.  Still  they  persisted  in  leaving.  Cap- 
tain Standish  then  generously  offered  to  take 
them  with  him  to  Plymouth,  where  they  should 
share  in  the  now  almost  exhausted  stores  of 
the  Pilgrims.  But  they  decided,  since  they  had 
a  small  vessel  in  which  they  could  embark,  to- 
go  to  Monhegan,  an  island  near  the  mouth  of 
the  Kennebec  River,  where  many  English  ships 
came  annually  to  fish.  The  captain  helped 


1622.J  CLOUDS  OF  WAR  109 

Kegrets  of  the  English.  Letter  from  Rev.  Mr.  Robinson. 

them  on  board  the  vessel,  provided  for  them  a 
supply  of  corn,  and  remained  until  their  sail 
was  disappearing  in  the  distant  horizon  of  the 
sea.  He  then  returned  to  Plymouth,  and  all 
were  rejoiced  that  the  country  was  delivered 
from  such  a  set  of  vagabonds. 

The  Pilgrims  regretted  the  hasty  and  violent 
measures  adopted  by  Captain  Standish,  and  yet 
they  could  not,  under  the  circumstances,  se- 
verely condemn  him.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Robinson, 
father  of  the  Plymouth  Church,  wrote  from 
Holland : 

"  Due  allowance  must  be  made  for  the  warm 
temper  of  Captain  Standish.  I  hope  that  the 
Lord  has  sent  him  among  you  for  good,  if  you 
will  but  use  him  as  you  ought.  I  fear,  how- 
ever, that  there  is  wanting  that  tenderness  for 
the  life  of  man,  made  after  God's  own  image, 
which  we  ought  to  cherish.  It  would  have 
been  happy  if  some  had  been  converted  before 
any  had  been  killed." 


110  KING  PHILIP.  [1630. 

Prosperity  of  the  colonies.  Massachusetts  Colony. 


T 


CHAPTER  IV. 
THE   PEQUOT  WAR. 

HE  energetic,  yet  just  and  conciliatory 
measures  adopted  by  the  Pilgrims  at  Plym- 
outh, in  their  intercourse  with  the  Indians,  were 
productive  of  the  happiest  results.  For  several 
years  there  was  a  period  of  peace  and  prosperi- 
ty. The  colony  had  now  become  firmly  estab- 
lished, and  every  year  emigrants,  arriving  from 
the  mother  country,  extended  along  the  coasts 
and  into  the  interior  the  comforts  and  the  re- 
finements of  civilization. 

In  the  year  1630,  ten  years  after  the  landing 
of  the  Pilgrims,  a  company  of  gentlemen  of  for- 
tune and  of  social  distinction  organized  a  colo- 
ny, upon  a  much  grander  scale  than  the  one  at 
Plymouth,  to  emigrate  to  Massachusetts  Bay, 
under  the  name  of  the  Massachusetts  Colony. 
The  leaders  in  this  enterprise  were  men  of  de- 
cidedly a  higher  cast  of  character,  intellectual 
and  social,  than  their  brethren  at  Plymouth. 
On  the  12th  of  June  this  company  landed  at 
Salem,  and  before  the  close  of  the  year  their 


1630.]        THE  PEQUOT  WAR.  Ill 

Settlement  of  Boston.  Motives  actuating  the  settlers. 

number  amounted  to  seventeen  hundred.  The 
tide  of  emigration  now  began  to  flow  very  rap- 
idly, and  eight  or  ten  towns  were  soon  settled. 
Toward  the  close  of  this  year  a  few  families 
moved  to  the  end  of  the  peninsula  now  called 
Boston.  The  dense  wilderness  spread  around 
them.  They  reared  their  log  huts  near  the 
beach,  at  the  north  end,  and  by  fishing,  hunt- 
ing, and  raising  Indian  corn,  obtained  a  frugal 
existence.  In  the  five  following  years  very 
great  accessions  were  made  to  this  important 
colony.  Thriving  settlements  sprang  up  rap- 
idly all  along  the  coast.  The  colonists  appear 
to  have  been  conscientious  in  their  dealings 
with  the  natives,  purchasing  their  lands  of  them 
at  a  fair  price.  Nearly  all  these  men  came  to  the 
wilderness  of  this  new  world  inspired  by  as  lofty 
motives  as  can  move  the  human  heart.  Many 
of  them  were  wealthy  and  of  high  rank.  At  an 
immense  sacrifice,  they  abandoned  the  luxuries 
and  refinements  to  which  they  had  been  accus- 
tomed at  home,  that  they  might  enjoy  in  New 
England  that  civil  and  religious  liberty  which 
Old  England  no  longer  afforded  them. 

The  Dutch  had  now  established  a  colony  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Hudson  River,  and  were  look- 
ing wistfully  at  the  fertile  meadows  which  their 


112  KING  PHILIP.  [1630. 

Dutch  colonies.  Correspondence  with  the  Dutch  governor. 

traders  had  found  upon  the  banks  of  the  Con- 
necticut. The  English  were  apprehensive  that 
the  Dutch  might  anticipate  them  in  taking  pos- 
session of  that  important  valley.  In  1630  the 
Earl  of  Warwick  had  obtained  from  Charles  I. 
a  patent,  granting  him  all  the  land  extending 
west  from  Narraganset  Bay  one  hundred  and 
twenty  miles.  This  grant  comprehended  the 
whole  of  the  present  state  of  Connecticut  and 
considerable  more,  reaching  west  to  the  Dutch 
settlements  on  the  Hudson  River.  Preparations 
were  immediately  made  for  the  establishment 
of  a  small  company  on  the  Connecticut  River. 
Governor  Winthrop  sent  a  message  to  the  Dutch 
governor  at  New  Netherlands,  as  New  York  wras 
then  called,  informing  him  that  the  King  of  En- 
gland had  granted  all  the  region  of  the  Con- 
necticut River  to  his  own  subjects,  and  request- 
ing that  the  Dutch  would  not  build  there. 
Governor  Van  T wilier  returned  a  very  polite 
answer,  stating  that  the  authorities  in  Holland 
had  granted  the  same  country  to  a  Dutch  com- 
pany, and  he  accordingly  requested  the  English 
not  to  settle  there. 

Governor  Winthrop  immediately  dispatched 
some  men  through  the  wilderness  to  explore 
the  country,  and  several  small  vessels  were 


1630.]        THE   PEQUOT   WAK.  113 

Taking  possession.  Opposition  to  t'  eir  settlement. 

sent  to  ascend  the  river,  and,  by  trade,  to  estab- 
lish friendly  relations  with  the  Indians.  The 
Plymouth  colony  also  sent  a  company  of  men 
with  a  frame  house  and  boards  for  covering. 
When  William  Holmes,  the  leader  of  this  com- 
pany, had  sailed  up  the  Connecticut  as  far  as 
the  present  city  of  Hartford,  he  found  that  the 
Dutch  were  before  him,  and  had  erected  a  fort 
there.  The  Dutch  ordered  him  to  go  back,  and 
stood  by  their  cannon  with  lighted  torches, 
threatening  to  lire  upon  him. 

Mr.  Holmes,  an  intrepid  man,  regardless  of 
their  threats,  which  they  did  not  venture  to  ex- 
ecute, pushed  boldly  by,  and  established  him- 
self at  the  mouth  of  Little  River,  in  the  pres- 
ent town  of  Windsor.  Here  he  put  up  his 
house,  surrounded  it  with  palisades,  and  forti- 
fied it  as  strongly  as  his  means  would  allow. 
Governor  Van  Twiller,  being  informed  of  this 
movement,  sent  a  band  of  seventy  men,  under 
arms,  to  tear  down  this  house  and  drive  away 
the  occupants.  But  Holmes  was  ready  for 
battle,  and  the  Dutch,  finding  him  so  well  forti- 
fied that  he  could  not  be  displaced  without  a 
bloody  conflict,  retired. 

The  whole  region  of  the  State  of  Connecticut 
was  at  this  time  a  wilderness,  covered  with  a 

2—8 


114  KING   PHILIP.  [1630. 

Beauty  of  Connecticut.  The  Pequots. 

dense  and  gloomy  forest,  which  overshadowed 
both  mountain  and  valley.  There  were  scat- 
tered here  and  there  a  few  spots  where  the  trees 
had  disappeared,  and  where  the  Indians  planted 
their  corn.  The  Indians  were  exceedingly  nu- 
merous in  this  lovely  valley.  The  picturesque 
I>eauty  of  the  country,  the  genial  climate,  the 
fertile  soil,  and  the  vast  variety  of  fish  and  fowl 
which  abounded  in  its  bays,  ponds,  and  streams, 
rendered  Connecticut  quite  an  elysium  for  sav- 
age life. 

These  Indians  were  divided  into  very  many 
tribes  or  clans,  more  or  less  independent,  each 
with  its  sachem  and  its  chief  warriors.  The 
Pequots  were  by  far  the  most  powerful  and 
warlike  among  them.  Their  territory  spread 
over  the  present  towns  of  New  London,  Groton, 
and  Stonington.  Just  north  of  them  was  a 
branch  of  the  same  tribe,  called  the  Mohegans, 
under  their  distinguished  sachem  Uncas.  The 
Pequots  and  the  Mohegans,  thus  united,  were 
Tesistless.  It  is  said  that,  a  few  years  before 
the  arrival  of  the  English  in  this  country,  the 
Pequots  had  poured  down  like  an  inundation 
from  the  forests  of  the  north,  sweeping  all  op- 
position before  them,  and  had  taken  possession 
of  the  sea-coast  as  a  conquered  country. 


1630.]         THE   PEQUOT   WAR.  115 

Sassacus.  The  three  powers.  Continual  wars. 

Sassacus  was  the  sovereign  chief  of  this  na- 
tion. The  present  town  of  Groton  was  his  re- 
gal residence.  Upon  two  commanding  and 
beautiful  eminences  in  this  town,  from  which 
the  eye  ranged  over  a  very  extensive  prospect 
of  the  Sound  and  the  adjacent  country,  Sassa- 
cus had  erected,  with  much  barbarian  skill,  his 
royal  fortresses.  The  one  was  on  the  banks 
of  the  Mystic ;  the  other,  a  few  miles  west,  on. 
the  banks  of  the  Pequot  River,  now  called  the 
Thames.  His  sway  extended  over  all  the  tribes 
on  Long  Island,  and  along  the  coast  from  the 
dominions  of  Canonicus,  on  Narraganset  Bay, 
to  the  Hudson  River,  and  spreading  into  the 
interior  as  far  as  the  present  county  of  Worces- 
ter in  Massachusetts.  Thus  there  seem  to  have 
been,  in  the  days  of  the  Pilgrims,  three  dom- 
inant nations,  with  their  illustrious  chieftains, 
who  held  sway  over  all  the  petty  tribes  in  the 
south  and  easterly  portions  of  New  England. 
The  Wampanoags,  under  Massasoit,  held  Mas- 
sachusetts generally.  The  Narragansets,  un- 
der Canonicus,  occupied  Rhode  Island.  The 
Pequots,  under  Sassacus,  reigned  over  Connec- 
ticut. These  powerful  tribes  were  jealous  of 
each  other,  and  were  almost  incessantly  engaged 
in  wars. 


116  KING  PHILIP.  [1634. 

Power  of  Sassacus.        Trading  expedition.        Murder  of  the  company. 

Sassacus  had  twenty-six  sachems  under  him, 
and  could  lead  into  the  field  four  thousand  war- 
riors. He  was  shrewd,  wary,  and  treacherous, 
and  with  great  jealousy  watched  the  increasing 
power  of  the  English,  who  were  now  spreading 
rapidly  over  the  principal  parts  of  New  En- 
gland. 

In  the  autumn  of  the  year  1634,  just  after 
William  Holmes  had  put  up  his  house  at  Wind- 
sor, two  English  traders,  Captains  Norton  and 
Stone,  ascended  the  Connecticut  River  in  a 
toat,  with  eight  men,  to  purchase  furs  of  the 
Indians.  They  had  a  large  assortment  of  those 
goods  which  the  natives  prized,  and  for  which 
they  were  eager  to  barter  any  tiling  in  their  pos- 
session. The  Indians  one  night,  as  the  vessel 
was  moored  near  the  shore,  rushed  from  an  am- 
bush, overpowered  the  crew,  murdered  every  in- 
dividual, and  plundered  and  sunk  the  vessel. 
The  Massachusetts  colony,  which  had  then  be- 
come far  more  powerful  than  the  Plymouth,  de- 
manded of  Sassacus  redress  and  the  surrender 
of  the  murderers.  The  Pequot  chieftain,  not 
being  then  prepared  for  hostilities,  sent  an  em- 
bassy to  Massachusetts  with  a  present  of  valu- 
able furs,  and  with  an  artfully  contrived  story 
in  justification  of  the  deed. 


1634.]         THE   PEQUOT   WAR.  117 

Diplomatic  skill.  Indians'  account  of  the  affair. 

The  barbarian  ambassadors,  with  diplomatic 
skill  which  Talleyrand  or  Metternich  might  have 
envied,  affirmed  that  the  English  had  seized  two 
peaceable  Indians,  bound  them  hand  and  foot, 
and  were  carrying  them  off  in  their  vessel,  no 
one  knew  where.  As  the  vessel  ascended  the 
river,  the  friends  of  the  two  captives  followed 
cautiously  through  the  forest,  along  the  banks, 
watching  for  an  opportunity  to  rush  to  their  res- 
cue. The  Indians  were  well  acquainted  with  the 
treachery  of  the  infamous  Englishmen  in  steal- 
ing the  natives,  and  transporting  them  to  per- 
petual slavery.  One  night  the  English  adven- 
turers, according  to  tlie^representation  of  the  In- 
dians, drew  their  vessel  up  to  the  shore,  and  all 
landed  to  sleep.  At  midnight,  the  friends  of  the 
captives  watched  their  opportunity,  and  made  a 
rush  upon  the  English  while  they  were  asleep, 
killed  all,  and  released  their  friends.  They  also 
stated  that  all  the  Indians  engaged  in  the  affray, 
except  two,  had  since  died  of  the  small-pox. 

This  was  a  plausible  story.  The  magistrates 
of  Massachusetts,  men  of  candor  and  justice, 
could  not  disprove  it ;  and  as,  admitting  this 
statement  to  be  true,  but  little  blame  could  be 
attached  to  the  Indians,  the  governor  of  Massa- 
chusetts accepted  the  apology,  and  entered  into 


118  KING  PHILIP.  [1635. 

Friendly  alliance.  Planting  new  colonies. 

friendly  alliance  with  the  Pequots.  In  the 
treaty  into  which  he  at  this  time  entered  with 
the  Indian  embassadors,  the  Pequots  conceded 
to  the  English  the  Connecticut  River  and  its 
immediate  shores,  if  the  English  would  establish 
settlements  there  and  open  trade  with  them. 

Accordingly,  arrangements  were  immediately 
made  for  the  planting  of  a  colony  in  the  valley 
of  the  Connecticut.  In  the  autumn  of  1635, 
five  years  after  the  establishment  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts colony  at  Salem,  and  fifteen  years  aft- 
er the  establishment  of  the  Plymouth  colony,  a 
company  of  sixty  persons,  men,  women,  and 
children,  left  the  towns  of  Dorchester,  Roxbury, 
Watertown,  and  Cambridge,  and  commenced  a 
journey  through  the  pathless  wilderness  in 
search  of  their  future  home.  It  was  the  12th 
of  October  when  they  left  the  shores  of  Massa- 
chusetts Bay.  For  fourteen  days  they  toiled 
along  through  the  wilderness,  driving  their  cat- 
tle before  them,  and  enduring  incredible  hard- 
ships as  they  traversed  mountains,  forded 
streams,  and  waded  through  almost  impenetra- 
ble swamps.  On  the  9th  of  November  they 
reached  the  Connecticut  at  a  point  near  the 
present  city  of  Hartford.  The  same  journey 
can  now  be  taken  with  ease  in  two  and  a  half 


1635.]         THE   PEQUOT   WAR.  119 

Indications  of  meditated  hostility.  Roger  Williams. 

hours.  In  less  than  a  year  three  towns  were 
settled,  containing  in  all  nearly  eight  hundred 
inhabitants.  A  fort  was  also  erected  at  the  en- 
trance of  the  river,  to  exclude  the  Dutch,  and  it 
was  garrisoned  by  twenty  men. 

The  Indians  now  began  to  be  seriously  alarm- 
ed in  view  of  the  rapid  encroachments  of  the 
English.  They  became  sullen,  and  annoyed 
the  colonists  with  many  acts  of  petty  hostility. 
There  were  soon  many  indications  that  Sassa- 
cus  was  meditating  hostilities,  and  that  he  was 
probably  laying  his  plans  for  a  combination  of 
all  the  tribes  in  a  resistless  assault  upon  the  in- 
fant settlements. 

The  Wampanoags,  under  Massasoit,  were  still 
firm  in  their  friendship ;  but  it  was  greatly  fear- 
ed that  the  Narragansets,  whose  power  was  very 
formidable,  might  be  induced  to  yield  to  the  so- 
licitations of  the  Pequots. 

Roger  Williams,  who  had  taken  refuge  in 
Rhode  Island  to  escape  from  his  enemies  in 
Massachusetts,  was  greatly  beloved  by  the  In- 
dians. He  had  become  quite  a  proficient  in  the 
Indian  language,  and  by  his  honesty,  disinterest- 
edness, and  courtesy,  had  particularly  won  the 
esteem  of  the  Narragansets,  in  the  midst  of 
whom  he  resided.  The  governor  and  council 


120  KING   PHILIP.  [1635. 

Mr.  Williams  sent  us  ambassador.  His  mission. 

of  Connecticut  immediately  wrote  to  Mr.  Will- 
iams, soliciting  him  to  visit  the  Narragansets, 
and  exert  his  influence  to  dissuade  them  from 
entering  into  the  coalition. 

This  great  and  good  man  promptly  embark- 
ed in  the  humane  enterprise.  Bidding  a  hur- 
ried farewell  to  his  wife,  he  started  alone  in  a 
dilapidated  canoe  to  sail  along  the  shores  of 
Narraganset  Bay  upon  his  errand  of  mercy.  A 
violent  tempest  arose,  tumbling  in  such  a  surf 
upon  the  shore  that  he  could  not  land,  while  he 
was  every  moment  threatened  with  being  swal- 
lowed up  in  the  abysses  which  were  yawning 
around  him.  At  length,  after  having  encoun- 
tered much  hardship  and  surmounted  many 
perils,  he  arrived  at  the  imperial  residence  of 
Canonicus.  The  barbarian  chieftain  was  at 
home,  and  it  so  happened  that  some  Pequot 
embassadors  had  but  a  short  time  before  ar- 
rived, and  were  then  conferring  with  the  Narra- 
gansets in  reference  to  the  coalition.  All  the 
arts  of  diplomacy  of  civilized  and  of  savage  life, 
of  the  wily  Indian  and  of  the  sincere  and  hon- 
es^  Christian,  were  -now  brought  into  requisi- 
tion. With  heroism  which  was  the  more  sig- 
nal in  that  it  was  entirely  unostentatious,  this 
bold  man  remained  three  days  and  three  nights 


1635.]         THE   PEQUOT   WAR.  121 

His  success.  Enmity  of  the  Pequots.  Acts  of  violence. 

with  the  savages,  encountering  the  threats  of 
the  Pequots,  and  expecting  every  night  that 
they  would  take  his  life  before  morning.  Grand- 
eur of  character  always  wins  applause.  Tne  In- 
dians marveled  at  his  calm,  unboastful  intre- 
pidity, and  Canonicus,  who  was  also  a  man  of 
heroic  mould,  was  so  influenced  by  his  argu- 
ments, that  he  finally  not  only  declined  to  enter 
into  an  alliance  with  the  Pequots,  but  pledged 
anew  his  friendship  for  the  English,  and  en- 
gaged to  co-operate  with  them  in  repelling  the 
threatened  assault. 

This  was  an  achievement  of  immense  mo- 
ment. Other  distant  tribes,  who  were  on  the 
eve  of  joining  the  coalition,  intimidated  by  the 
withdrawal  of  the  Narragansets,  and  by  their 
co-operation  with  the  English,  also  refused  to 
take  part  in  the  war,  and  thus  the  Pequots  were 
left  to  fight  the  battle  alone.  But  the  Pequots, 
with  their  four  thousand  merciless  warriors, 
were  a  fearful  foe  to  rush  from  their  inaccessi- 
ble retreats,  with  torch  and  tomahawk,  upon 
the  sparse  and  defenseless  settlements  scattered 
along  the  banks  of  the  Connecticut  River. 

Various  acts  of  individual  violence  were  per- 
petrated by  the  savages  before  war  broke  out  in 
all  its  horrors.  The  English  were  anxious  to 


122  KING   PHILIP.  [1635. 

Discovery  of  the  murder  of  Captain  Stone  and  his  men. 

avert  hostilities,  if  possible,  as  they  had  nothing 
to  gain  from  war  with  the  natives,  and  their 
helpless  families  would  be  exposed  to  incon- 
ceivable misery  from  the  barbarism  of  the  foe. 

The  colonists  now  learned  that  the  excuse 
which  had  been  offered  for  the  assault  upon 
Captains  Norton  and  Stone  was  a  fabrication, 
and  false  in  all  its  particulars.  These  men  had 
engaged  several  Indians  to  pilot  them  up  the 
river.  They  often  stopped  to  trade  with  the 
natives.  One  night,  as  they  were  moored  along- 
side of  the  shore,  while  many  of  the  men  had 
gone  upon  the  land,  and  the  captain  was  asleep 
in  the  cabin,  a  large  number  of  Indians  made  a 
premeditated  assault,  and  murdered  all  on 
board.  The  rest,  as  they  returned  in  the  dark- 
ness and  unsuspicious  of  danger,  were  easily 
dispatched. 

This  new  evidence  of  the  treachery  of  the 
Pequots  exasperated  the  colonists.  Still,  they 
did  not  think  it  best  to  usher  in  a  war  with  such 
powerful  foes  by  any  retaliation.  The  Pequots, 
encouraged  by  this  forbearance,  became  more 
and  more  insolent.  In  July,  1635,  John  Old- 
ham  ventured  on  a  trading  expedition  to  the 
Pequot  country;  for  the  Pequots,  notwithstand- 
ing all  the  appearances  against  them,  still  pi>c- 


1635.]        THE   PEQUOT  WAK.  123 

Trading  expedition  to  the  Peqnots.  John  Gallop. 

tended  to  friendship,  and  solicited  trade.  One 
object  of  sending  Captain  Oldham  upon  this 
expedition  was  to  ascertain  more  definitely  the 
real  disposition  of  the  savages. 

A  few  days  after  his  departure,  a  man  by  the 
name  of  John  Gallop  was  in  a  small  vessel  of 
about  twenty  tons,  on  his  passage  from  Con- 
necticut to  Massachusetts  Bay.  A  strong  north- 
erly wind  drove  him  near  Manisses,  or  Block  Isl- 
and. This  island  is  about  fourteen  miles  from 
Point  Judith.  It  is  eight  miles  long,  and  from 
two  to  four  wide.  To  his  surprise,*  he  saw  near 
the  shore  an  English  vessel,  which  lie  imme- 
diately recognized  as  Captain  Oldham's,  filled 
with  Indians,  and  evidently  in  their  possession. 
Sixteen  savages,  well  armed  with  their  own 
weapons,  and  with  the  guns  and  swords  which 
they  had  takjen  from  the  English,  crowded  the 
boat. 

Captain  Gallop  was  a  man  of  lion  heart,  in- 
spirited by  that  Puritan  chivalry  which  ever 
displayed  itself  in  the  most  amazing  deeds  of 
daring,  without  the  slightest  apparent  con- 
sciousness'that  there  was  any  thing  extraordi- 
nary in  the  exploit.  His  little  vessel  was  con- 
siderably larger  than  the  boat  which  the  In- 
dians had  captured.  His  crew,  however,  con- 


124  KING  PHILIP.  [1635. 

Valiant  behavior  of  Captain  Gallop. 

sisted  of  only  one  man  and  two  boys.  And 
yet,  without  the  slightest  hesitancy,  he  immedi- 
ately decided  upon  a  naval  fight  with  the  In- 
dians. Loading  his  muskets  and  spreading  al] 
sail,  he  bore  down  upon  his  foe.  The  wind  was- 
fair  and  strong,  and,  standing  firmly  at  the 
helm,  while  his  crew  were  protected  by  the  bul- 
warks from  the  arrows  and  bullets  of  the  In- 
dians, and  were  ready  with  their  muskets  to 
shoot  any  who  attempted  to  board,  he  guided 
his  vessel  so  skillfully  as  to  strike  the  smaller 
boat  of  the  Toe  fairly  upon  the  quarter.  The 
shock  was  so  severe  that  the  boat  was  nearly 
capsized,  and  six  of  the  Indians  were  knocked 
into  the  sea  and  drowned. 

Captain  Gallop  immediately  stood  off  and 
prepared  for  another  similar  broadside.  In  the 
mean  time,  he  lashed  the  anchor  to  the  bows  of 
the  vessel  in  such  a  way  that  the  fluke  should 
pierce  the  side  of  the  boat,  and  serve  as  a  grap- 
pling iron.  As  there  were  now  only  ten  In- 
dians to  be  attacked,  he  decided  to  board  the 
boat  in  case  it  should  be  grappled  by  the  fluke 
of  his  anchor.  Having  made  these  arrange- 
ments, he  again  came  running  down  before  a 
brisk  gale,  and,  striking  the  boat  again,  tore  open 
er  side  with  his  anchor,  while  at  the  same  mo- 


1635.]         THE  PEQUOT  WAR.  125 

"Victory  over  the  Indians.  The  body  of  Captain  Oldham. 

ment  he  poured  in  a  heavy  discharge  of  buck- 
shot upon  the  terrified  savages.  Most  of  them, 
Jiovvever,  had  plunged  into  the  hold  of  the  little 
pinnace,  arid  the  shot  effected  but  little  execu- 
tion. A  third  time  he  ran  down  upon  the  pin- 
nace, and  struck  her  with  such  force  that  five 
more,  in  their  turn,  leaped  overboard  and  were 
drowned.  There  were  now  but  iive  savages 
left,  and  the  intrepid  Gallop  immediately  board- 
ed the  enemy.  Three  of  the  savages  retreated 
to  a  small  cabin,  where,  with  swords,  they  de- 
fended themselves.  Two  were  taken  captive 
and  bound.  Having  no  place  where  he  could 
keep  these  two  Indians  apart,  and  fearing  that 
they  mi^ht  get  loose,  and,  in  co-operation  with 
the  three  savages  vho  had  fortified  themselves 
in  the  cabin,  rise  successfully  upon  him,  Cap- 
tain Gallop  threw  one  of  the  Indians  overboard, 
and  he  was  drowned.  This  was  rough  usage ; 
but  the  savages,  who  had  apparently  rendered 
it  necessary  by  their  previous  act  of  robbery 
.and  murder,  could  not  complain. 

The  pinnace  was  then  stripped  of  her  rig- 
ging and  of  all  the  goods  which  remained.  The 
body  of  Captain  Oldham  was  found,  awfully 
mutilated,  beneath  a  sail.  The  rest  of  the  crew, 
but  two  or  three  in  number,  had  been  carried 


126  KING  PHILIP.  [1635. 

LOBS  of  the  pinnace.  Retribution. 

as  captives  by  the  savages  on  the  shore.  Cap- 
tain Gallop  buried  the  corpse  as  reverently  as 
possible  in  the  sea,  and  then  took  the  pinnace 
in  tow,  with  the  three  ravages  barricaded  in  the 
cabin.  Night  came  on,  dark  and  stormy ;  the 
wind  increased  to  a  tempest,  and  it  was  neces- 
sary to  cut  the  pinnace  adrift.  She  was  never 
heard  of  more. 

Block  Island,  where  these  scenes  occurred, 
belonged  to  the  Narragansets ;  but  many  who 
were  engaged  in  the  murder,  as  it  fearful  of  the 
vengeance  of  Canonicus,  their  own  chieftain, 
fled  across  the  Sound  to  the  Pequot  country, 
and  were  protected  by  them.  The  Pequots 
thus  became  implicated  in  the  crime.  Canon- 
icus, on  the  other  hand,  rescued  the  captives 
taken  from  the  boat,  and  restored  them  to  their 
friends.  The  English  now  decided  that  it  was 
necessary  for  them  so  to  punish  the  Indians  as 
to  teach  them  that  such  outrages  could  no  longer 
be  committed  with  impunity.  It  was  a  fearful 
vengeance  which  was  resolved  upon.  An  army 
of  one  hundred  men  was  raised,  commissioned 
to  proceed  to  Block  Island,  burn  every  wigwam, 
destroy  all  the  corn,  shoot  every  man,  and  take 
the  women  and  children  captive.  Thus  the 
island  was  to  be  left  a  solitude  and  a  desert. 


1636.]         THE   PEQUOT  WAR.  127 

The  expedition.  The  first  attack. 

On  the  25th  of  August,  1636,  the  detach- 
ment sailed  from  Boston.  The  Indians  were 
aware  of  the  punishment  with  which  they  were 
threatened,  and  were  prepared  for  resistance. 
Captain  John  Endicott,  who  was  in  command 
of  the  expedition,  anchored  off  the  island,  and 
seeing  a  solitary  Indian  wandering  upon  the 
beach,  who,  it  afterward  appeared,  had  been 
placed  there  as  a  decoy,  took  a  boat  and  a  dozen 
armed  men,  and  rowed  toward  the  shore.  When 
they  reached  within  a  few  rods  of  the  beach, 
suddenly  sixty  warriors,  picked  men,  tall,  ath- 
letic, and  of  established  bravery,  sprang  up  from 
behind  the  sand-hills,  rushed  to  the  water's 
edge,  and  poured  in  upon  the  boat  a  volley  of 
arrows.  Fortunately,  the  boat  was  so  far  from 
the  land  that  not  much  injury  was  done,  though 
two  were  seriously  wounded.  As  the  water 
was  shoal,  the  colonists,  musket  in  hand,  sprang 
from  the  boat  and  waded  toward  the  shore, 
piercing  their  foes  with  a  well-directed  volley 
of  bullets.  Had  the  Indians  possessed  any 
measure  of  the  courage  of  the  English,  the  sixty 
savages  might  have  closed  upon  the  twelve  col- 
onists, and  easily  have  destroyed  them  all ;  but 
they  had  no  disciplined  courage  which  would 
enable  them  to  stand  a  charge.  With  awful 


128  KING   PHILIP.  [1636. 

The  English  victorious.  The  work  of  devastation. 

yells  of  fury  and  despair,  they  broke  and  fled 
into  the  t^rests  and  the  swamps. 

Captain  Endicott  now  landed  his  force  and 
commenced  the  work  of  destruction.  There 
were  two  Indian  villages  upon  the  island,  con- 
taining about  sixty  wigwams  each.  The  torch 
was  applied,  and  they  were  all  destroyed.  Ev- 
ery canoe  that  could  be  found  was  staved. 
There  were  also  upon  the  island  about  two 
hundred  acres  of  standing  corn,  which  the  En- 
glish trampled  down.  But  not  an  Indian  could 
be  found.  The  women  and  children  had  prob- 
ably been  removed  from  the  island,  and  the 
warriors  who  remained  so  effectually  concealed 
themselves  that  the  English  sought  them  in 
vain.  After  spending  two  days  upon  the  isl- 
and, the  expedition  again  embarked,  and  sailed 
across  the  Sound  to  the  mouth  of  the  Thames, 
then  called  Pequot  Harbor.  As  the  vessel  en- 
tered the  harbor,  about  three  hundred  warriors 
assembled  upon  the  shore.  Captain  Endicott 
sent  an  interpreter  to  inform  them  that  he  had 
come  to  demand  the  murderers  of  the  English, 
and  to  obtain  compensation  for  the  injuries 
which  the  Indians  had  inflicted.  To  this  the 
Pequots  defiantly  replied  with  a  shower  of  ar- 
rows. Captain  Endicott  landed  on  both  sides 


1636.]         THE   PEQUOT   WAR. 

Inefficiency  of  the  punishment.  Exultation  of  Sassacus. 

of  the  harbor  where  New  London  now  stands. 
The  Indians  sullenly  retired  before  him  to  the 
adjacent  rocks  and  fastnesses,  rendering  it  nec- 
essary for  the  English  to  keep  in  a  compact 
body  to  guard  against  assault.  Two  Indians 
were  shot,  and  probably  a  few  others  wounded. 
The  wigwams  along  the  shore  were  burned,  and 
the  canoes  destroyed,  and  then  the  expedition 
again  spread  its  sails  and  returned  to  Boston, 
having  done  infinitely  more  harm  than  good. 
They  had  merely  exasperated  their  haughty 
foes.  They  had  but  struck  the  hornets'  nest 
with  a  stick.  The  Connecticut  people  were  in 
exceeding  terror,  as  they  knew  that  savage 
vengeance  would  fall  mercilessly  upon  them. 

Sassacus  was  a  stern  man  of  much  native 
talent.  He  laughed  to  scorn  this  impotent  re- 
venge. To  burn  an  Indian  wigwam  was  in- 
flicting  no  great  calamity.  The  huts  were 
reared  anew  before  the  expedition  had  arrived 
in  Boston.  The  Pequots  now  despised  their 
foes,  and,  gathering  around  their  council  fires, 
they  clashed  their  weapons,  shrieked  their  war- 
whoop,  and  excited  themselves  into  an  intensity 
of  rage.  The  defenseless  settlers  along  the 
banks  of  the  Connecticut  were  now  at  the  mer- 
cy of  the  savages,  who  were  roused  to  the  com- 
2—9 


130  KING   PHILIP.  [1636. 

Scenes  of  blood.  Energy  of  Siis-ncus. 

mission  of  every  possible  atrocity.  No  pen 
can  describe  the  scenes  of  woe  which,  during 
the  autumn  and  winter  of  1636  and  1637,  trans- 
pired in  the  solitudes  of  the  wilderness.  The 
Indians  were  every  where  in  marauding  bands. 
At  midnight,  startled  by  the  yell  of  the  savage, 
the  lonely  settler  sprang  to  his  door  but  to  see 
his  building  in  flames,  to  be  pierced  with  innu- 
merable arrows,  to  fall  upon  his  floor  weltering 
in  blood,  and  to  see,  as  death  was  stealing  over 
him,  his  wife  and  his  children  brained  by  the 
tomahawk.  The  tortures  inflicted  by  the  sav- 
ages upon  their  captives  were  too  horrible  to  be 
narrated.  Even  the  recital  almost  causes  the 
blood  to  chill  in  one's  veins. 

Sassacus  was  indefatigable  in  his  endeavors 
to  rouse  all  the  tribes  to  combine  in  a  war  of 
extermination. 

"Now,"  said  he,  "is  our  time.  If  we  do 
not  now  destroy  the  English,  they  will  soon 
prove  too  powerful  for  us,  and  they  will  obtain 
all  our  lands.  We  need  not  meet  them  in  open 
battle.  We  can  shoot  and  poison  their  cattle, 
burn  their  houses  and  barns,  lay  in  ambush  for 
them  in  the  fields  and  on  the  roads.  They  are 
now  few.  We  are  numerous.  We  can  thus 
soon  destroy  them  all." 


1036.]         THE   PEQUOT   WAE.  131 

Vigilance  of  the  enemy.  Siege  of  Saybrook. 

Why  did  they  not  succeed  in  this  plan  ? 
The  only  answer  is  that  God  willed  otherwise. 
The  Indians  planned  their  campaign  with  great 
skill,  and  prosecuted  it  with  untiring  vigor. 
Not  a  boat  could  pass  up  or  down  the  river  in 
safety.  The  colonists  were  compelled  to  keep 
a  constant  guard,  to  huddle  together  in  block- 
houses, and  could  never  lie  down  at  night  with- 
out the  fear  of  being  murdered  before  morning. 
Almost  every  night  the  flame  of  their  burning 
dwellings  reddened  the  sky,  and  the  shriek  of 
the  captives  expiring  under  demoniac  torture 
blended  with  the  hideous  shout  of  the  savages. 

At  the  mouth  of  the  Connecticut  River  the 
fort  of  Saybrook  had  been  erected.  It  was 
built  strongly  of  timber,  to  resist  the  approaches 
of  the  Dutch  as  well  as  of  the  Indians,  and  was 
garrisoned  by  about  fifty  men.  As  this  point 
commanded  the  entrance  of  the  river,  it  was 
deemed  of  essential  importance  that  it  should  be 
effectually  fortified.  But  the  Pequots  were  now 
so  emboldened  that  they  surrounded  the  fort, 
and  held  the  garrison  in  a  state  of  siege.  They 
burned  every  house  in  the  vicinity,  razed  all 
the  out-houses  of  the  fort,  and  burned  every 
stack  of  hay  and  every  useful  thing  which  was 
not  -within  reach  of  the  guns  of  the  fortress. 


132  KING   PHILIP.  [1636. 

Necessity  for  energetic  action.  Raising  an  army. 

The  cattle  were  all  killed,  and  no  person  could 
venture  outside  of  the  fort.  The  Indians,  keep- 
ing beyond  the  reach  of  gunshot,  danced  with 
insulting  and  defiant  gestures,  challenging  the 
English  to  come  out,  and  mocking  them  with 
the  groans  and  pious  invocations  which  they 
liatl  extorted  from  their  victims  of  torture. 

This  awful  state  of  affairs  rendered  it  neces- 
sary to  prosecute  the  war  with  a  degree  of  en- 
ergy which  should  insure  decisive  results.  The 
story  of  Indian  atrocities  caused  every  ear  in 
the  three  colonies  to  tingle,  and  all  united  to 
punish  the  common  enemy.  Plymouth  fur- 
nished a  vessel,  well  armed  and  provisioned,  and 
manned  by  fifty  soldiers  under  efficient  officers. 
Massachusetts  raised  two  hundred  men  to  send 
promptly  to  the  theatre  of  conflict.  Connecti- 
cut furnished  ninety  men  from  the  towns  of 
Hartford,  Windsor,  and  Wethersneld.  This 
was  an  immense  effort  for  the  feeble  colonists 
to  make. 

The  Mohegans  dwelt  in  the  interior  of  the 
country,  and  were  consequently  nearer  the  En- 
glish settlements.  Their  sachem,  Uncas,  had 
his  royal  residence  in  the  present  town  of  Nor- 
wich. He  was  a  stern,  reckless  man,  and  quite 
-ambitious  of  claiming  independence  of  Sassa- 


1637.]         THE   PEQUOT  WAR.  133 

Uncas  sachem  ot  the  Moliegans.  Departure  of  the  troops. 

cus,  with  his  powerful  section  of  the  tribe.  TJu 
Mohegans,  Pequots,  and  Narragansets  all  spoke 
the  same  language,  with  but  a  slight  diversity 
in  dialect.  The  Mohegans,  with  apparent  ea- 
gerness, united  with  the  English.  The  Narra- 
gansets also  continued  firm  in  their  pledged 
friendship  to  the  Massachusetts  and  Plymouth 
colonists,' and  promised  a  liberal  supply  of  war- 
riors to  aid  them  in  punishing  the  haughty  Pe- 
quots. Sassacus  had  now  raised  a  storm  which 
he  well  might  dread.  The  doom  of  his  tribe 
was  sealed. 

On  Wednesday,  the  10th  of  May,  1637,  the 
Connecticut  troops,  consisting  of  ninety  En- 
glishmen and  seventy  Mohegans,  embarked,  at 
Hartford  in  three  vessels,  and  sailed  down  the 
river  to  the  fort  at  Saybrook.  The  expedition 
was  commanded  by  Captain  John  Mason.  Un- 
cas, the  Mohegan  sachem,  led  the  Indian  war- 
riors. When  they  arrived  near  the  mouth  of 
the  river,  the  Indians  desired  to  be  set  on  shore, 
that  they  might  advance  by  land  to  the  fort, 
and  attack  the  Pequots  by  surprise.  The  En- 
glish were  very  apprehensive  that  their  unreli- 
able allies  were  about  to  prove  treacherous,  and 
to  desert  to  the  Pequots.  But,  as  it  was  desir- 
able to  test  them  before  the  hour  of  battle  ar- 


134  KING  PHILIP.  [1637. 

Torture  of  a  captive.  Fortresses.  Plan  of  attack. 

rived,  they  were  permitted  to  land.  The  Mo- 
hegans,  however,  proved  faithful.  On  their  way 
to  the  fort  they  fell  in  with  forty  Pequots,  whom 
they  attacked  fiercely  and  put  to  rout,  after 
having  killed  seven  of  their  number,  and  taken 
one  a  captive.  Their  wretched  prisoner  they 
bound  to  a  stake,  and  put  to  death  with  every 
barbarity  which  demoniac  malice  could  suggest, 

The  two  parties  met  at  Fort  Saybrook.  Sas- 
sacus  was  strongly  intrenched,  about  twenty 
miles  east  of  them,  in  two  forts,  or,  rather,  for- 
tified towns.  These  Pequot  fortresses  were 
about  five  miles  distant  from  each  other,  on 
commanding  hills,  one  on  the  banks  of  the 
Thames,  and  the  other  on  the  banks  of  the 
Mystic.  It  was  the  original  plan  to  sail  direct- 
ly into  the  mouth  of  the  Thames,  then  called  Pe- 
quot Harbor,  and  attack  the  savage  foe  in  his 
concentrated  strength.  But  these  fortresses 
were  so  situated  as  to  command  an  extensive 
view  of  the  ocean,  as  well  as  of  the  adjacent 
country.  The  vessels,  consequently,  could  not 
enter  Pequot  Harbor  without  being  seen  by  the 
Indians,  and  thus  giving  them  several  hours' 
warning. 

After  long  and  anxious  deliberation,  the  chap- 
lain of  the  expedition,  Rev.  Mr.  Stone,  having 


1637.]         THE   PEQUOT  WAR.  135 

Delight  of  the  Pequots.  Detentions. 

been  requested  to  pass  the  night  in  prayer  for 
Divine  guidance,  it  was  decided  to  sail  directly 
by  the  mouths  of  Pequot  Harbor  and  the  Mys- 
tic, and  to  continue  along  the  shore  to  Narra- 
ganset  Bay.  Here  they  hoped  to  meet  with  the 
troops  dispatched  from  Plymouth  and  Massa- 
chusetts. They  could  then  march  across  the 
country  about  forty  miles,  and,  approaching  the 
Pequot  forts  in  the  night  and  through  the  for- 
est, could  attack  them  by  surprise. 

On  Friday,  the  19th  of  May,  the  expedition 
sailed  from  the  mouth  of  the  Connecticut.  The 
Pequots,  through  their  runners,  kept  themselves 
informed  of  every  movement,  and  when  they 
descried  the  vessels  approaching,  they  felt  that 
the  decisive  hour  had  come,  and  prepared  for 
battle.  But  when  they  saw  the  vessels  pass 
directly  by  without  entering  the  harbor,  they 
were  exceedingly  elated,  supposing  the  English 
were  afraid  to  attack  them.  They  shouted,  and 
danced,  and  clashed  their  weapons,  and  assailed 
their  foes  with  all  the  artillery  of  barbarian  de- 
rision. But  the  colonists,  unconscious  of  the 
ridicule  to  which  they  were  exposed,  continued 
their  course,  and  came  to  anchor  in  Narragan- 
set  Bay.  just  as  the  twilight  of  Saturday  even- 
ing was  darkening  into  night.  It  was  too  late 


136  KING   PHILIP.  [1637 

Landing.  Cordial  reception.  Re-tnforcementa, 

then  to  land,  and  the  next  day  being  the  Sal> 
bath,  they  all  remained  on  board  their  vessels, 
in  the  sacred  observance  of  the  day.  All  of 
Monday,  and  until  late  in  the  afternoon  of  Tues- 
day, a  fearful  gale  swept  the  ocean,  so  that  no 
boat  could  pass  to  the  shore.  Tuesday  even- 
ing, however,  Captain  Mason  landed,  and  had 
an  interview  with  Miantunnomah,  a  chief  very 
high  in  rank,  who  seems  to  have  shared  with 
his  uncle  Canonicus  in  the  government  of  the 
^Narragansets. 

"  Two  mighty  chiefs — one  cautious,  wise,  and  old ; 
One  young,  and  strong,  and  terrible  in  fight — 
All  Narraganset  and  Coweset  hold  ; 

One  lodge  they  build,  one  council-fire  they  light." 

The  fiery-spirited  young  sachem,  hating  the 
Pequots,  and  eager  for  a  fight  with  them  in  con- 
junction With  such  powerful  allies  as  the  En- 
glish, cordially  received  Captain  Mason,  grant- 
ed him  a  passage  through  his  country,  and  im- 
mediately called  out  a  re-enforcement  of  two 
hundred  men  to  join  the  expedition.  That 
night  an  Indian  runner  arrived  in  the  camp,  and 
informed  Captain  Mason  that  Captain  Patrick, 
with  forty  men,  who  had  been  sent  in  advance 
of  the  Massachusetts  and  Plymouth  contingent, 
had  reached  Mr.  Roger  Williams's  plantation  in 


1637.J        THE   PEQUOT  WAK.  137 

Determination  to  proceed.        Boasting.        Continued  re-enforcements. 

Providence,  and  were  hastening  to  meet  him. 
Desirable  as  this  junction  was  deemed,  after 
mature  deliberation,  it  was  decided  not  to  wait 
for  Captain  Patrick,  as  it  was  very  important  to 
strike  a  sudden  and  unexpected  blow.  The  Nar- 
ragansets  stood  in  great  dread  of  the  Pequots, 
and  it  was  feared  that  their  zeal  might  grow 
•cold.  It  was  also  feared  that  if  they  did  not 
proceed  immediately,  the  Pequots  might  receive 
tidings  of  their  approach. 

The  little  army,  therefore,  the  very  next 
morning,  Wednesday,  May  24th,  commenced  its 
march.  The  force  consisted  of  seventy-seven 
Englishmen,  sixty  Mohegans,  and  two  hundred 
Narragansets.  The  Narragansets  were  great 
braggarts.  They  made  the  forest  resound  with 
their  vainglorious  boasts,  and,  with  the  most  val- 
iant gestures,  declared  that  they  would  now  show 
the  English  how  to  fight.  Guided  by  Indians 
through  the  forest,  they  pressed  along  rapidly 
through  the  day,  and  at  night,  having  traversed 
about  twenty  miles,  bivouacked  upon  the  banks 
of  a  small  stream.  The  next  morning  they  re- 
sumed their  march,  and,  crossing  the  stream, 
approached  the  territory  of  the  Pequots.  As 
they  had  advanced,  large  numbers  of  Narragan- 
set  warriors  had  flocked  to  join  them,  and  they 


138  KING   PHILIP.  [1637. 

Rapid  march.  Plan  of  attack  changed. 

had  now  five  hundred  of  these  boastful  savages 
in  the  advance  leading  them  on. 

The  day  was  intensely  hot,  and,  in  their  rap- 
id march,  several  of  the  troops  fainted  by  the 
way.  But,  conscious  that  much  depended  upon 
taking  the  Pequots  by  surprise,  Captain  Mason 
urged  his  men  forward,  and  about  noon  reached 
the  banks  of  the  Pawcatuck  River,  about  twelve 
miles  from  the  previous  night's  encampment. 
The  Indians  led  them  to  a  point  in  the  river 
where  they  could  pass  it  by  a  ford.  They  halt- 
ed here  for  an  hour,  and  refreshed  themselves, 
and  then  moved  on  with  much  caution,  as  they 
were  now  almost  in  the  country  of  their  foe.  It 
was  but  twelve  miles  from  the  ford  to  the  first 
Pequot  fort  on  the  banks  of  the  Mystic. 

It  had  been  the  intention  to  attack  both  the 
forts,  the  Mystic  and  the  Pequot,  at  once ;  but 
Wequash,  a  Pequot  sachem,  who  had  revolted 
from  Sassacus,  and,  treacherous  to  his  tribe, 
acted  as  their  guide,  here  gave  them  such  in- 
formation respecting  the  situation  and  strength 
of  these  fortresses  as  induced  them  to  alter  their 
resolution,  and  to  decide  to  make  a  united  at- 
tack upon  the  fort  at  Mystic.  When  the  Nar- 
ragansets  found  that  Captain  Mason  was  actu- 
ally intending  to  march  directly  up  to  the  very 


1637.J        THE  PEQUOT  WAR.  139 

Ardor  of  the  Indians  cooled.  Desertions.  Repose. 

palisades  of  the  fort,  and  assail  those  fierce  and 
i terrible  warriors  in  their  strongholds,  they  were 
filled  with  amazement  and  consternation.  Many 
deserted  and  returned  to  Narraganset.  All  who 
remained  lingered  irresolutely  in  the  rear.  The 
English  now  found  that  their  Indian  allies 
•could  render  them  but  very  little  service.  Un- 
daunted, however,  by  the  great  odds  against 
which  they  would  have  to  contend,  they  pressed 
vigorously  and  silently  on,  followed  by  a  vaga- 
bond train  of  two  or  three  hundred  savages. 
The  sun  had  gone  down,  and  the  shades  of 
night  were  descending  upon  the  forest  when 
they  reached  the  banks  of  the  Mystic. 

They  were  now  within  three  miles  of  one  of 
the  great  Pequot  forts,  on  what  is  still  called 
Pequot  Hill,  in  the  present  town  of  Groton. 
Crossing  the  stream,  here  narrow  and  shallow, 
by  a  ford,  they  crept  cautiously  along,  in  the 
deepening  darkness,  until  they  came  to  a  smooth 
and  level  plot  of  ground  between  two  craggy 
bluffs  now  called  Porter's  Kocks. 

The  troops,  excessively  fatigued  by  travel  and 
the  heat  of  the  sultry  day,  threw  themselves 
upon  the  ground  for  a  few  hours'  repose,  intend- 
ing to  advance  and  make  the  attack  upon  the 
fort  just  before  the  break  of  day.  The  night 


140  KING  PHILIP.  [1637. 

Devotions  of  the  English.  Address  to  the  Indi  ,n«. 

was  serene  and  cloudless,  and  a  brilliant  moon 
illumined  the  couch  of  the  weary  soldiers.  They 
were  now  so  near  the  fort  that  they  could  hear 
the  shouts  of  the  savages  in  their  barbaric  ca- 
rousals.  A  few  moments  after  midnight  they 
were  all  aroused  from  their  sleep  to  march  to- 
the  perilous  assault.  Devoutly  these  Christian 
heroes  gathered  around  their  chaplain,  the  Rev- 
erend Mr.  Stone,  and,  with  uncovered  heads, 
united  with  him  in  fervent  prayer  that  God 
would  bless  their  enterprise.  They  were  not 
going  into  the  battle  inspired  by  ambition,  or 
the  love  of  conquest,  or  the  greed  of  gain.  They 
were  contending  only  to  protect  their  wives  and 
their  children  from  the  vengeance  of  a  savage 
and  a  merciless  foe.  The  Narragansets,  now 
that  the  stern  hour  of  trial  had  come,  were  in- 
such  a  state  of  consternation  that  Captain  Ma- 
son gathered  them  around  him  and  said, 

"  We  ask  no  aid  from  you.  You  may  stand 
at  any  distance  you  please,  and  look  on,  and  see 
how  Englishmen  can  fight." 

The  fort  was  on  the  summit  of  a  heavy  swell 
of  land,  and  consisted  of  a  village  of  seventy 
wigwams,  surrounded  by  a  palisade.  These  pal- 
isades consisted  of  posts  planted  side  by  side, 
and  so  high  that  they  could  not  be  climbed 


1637.J        THE  PEQUOT  WAE.  141 

The  fort.  Negligence  of  the  enemy.  The  attack. 

over.  The  warriors  stationed  behind'them  were 
3afe  apparently  from  assault,  for  even  a  musket 
ball  would  not  pass  through  the  posts.  There 
were  but  two  entrances  to  the  fort,  one  on  the 
northeastern  and  the  other  on  the  southwestern 
.side.  Between  six  and  seven  hundred  Indians 
were  within  the  fort. 

The  English  troops  were  divided  into  two 
parties,  one  headed  by  Captain  Mason,  and  the 
other  by  Captain  -Underbill,  who  had  been  in 
command  of  the  fort  at  Saybrook.  They  de- 
cided to  make  a  simultaneous  attack  upon  each 
of  the  entrances.  Though  the  moon  shone  very 
brilliantly,  rendering  it  almost  as  light  as  day, 
yet  the  Indians,  unsuspicious  of  danger  and 
soundly  asleep,  gave  not  the  slightest  indica- 
tion of  alarm  until  the  two  parties  had  each  si- 
lently approached  within  a  rod  of  the  entrances. 
A  dog  was  then  heard  to  bark,  and  immediately 
one  solitary  voice  shouted  frantically,  "English- 
men! Englishmen!"  The  entrances  were  mere- 
ly blocked  up  with  bushes  about  breast  high. 
The  assailants  instantly  poured  a  volley  of  bul- 
lets in  upon  their  sleeping  foes,  and,  sword  in 
hand,  rushed  over  the  feeble  barriers.  Notwith- 
standing the  surprise  and  the  appalling  thunder 
of  the  guns,  the  Pequots  sprang  to  arms  and 


142  KING  PHILIP.  [1637. 

The  conflict  The  wigwams  burned.  Massacre. 

made  a  fierce  resistance.  The  two  parties,  ad- 
vancing from  the  opposite  entrances,  forced  their 
way  along  the  main  street,  firing  to  the  right 
and  the  left,  and  making  fearful  slaughter  of 
their  foes.  They  speedily  swept  the  street 
clear  of  all  opposition.  The  savages,  however, 
who  still  vastly  outnumbered  their  assailants, 
retreated  into  their  wigwams,  and,  taking  advan- 
tage of  every  covert,  almost  overwhelmed  the 
compact  bands  of  the  English  with  a  shower  of 
arrows  and  javelins.  The  conflict  was  now- 
fierce  in  the  extreme,  and  for  a  time  the  issue 
was  very  doubtful.  Several  of  the  colonists 
were  already  killed,  and  many  severely  wounded. 
The  wigwams,  composed  of  the  boughs  and 
bark  of  trees,  and  covered  with  mats,  were  as 
dry  as  powder.  Captain  Mason,  at  this  critical 
moment,  shouted  to  his  exhausted  men,  "  Set 
fire  to  the  wigwams!"  Torches  were  imme- 
diately applied ;  the  flames  leaped  from  roof  to-, 
roof,  and  in  a  few  moments  the  whole  village 
was  as  a  furnace  of  roaring,  crackling  flame. 
The  savages,  forced  by  the  fire  from  their  lurk- 
ing-places, presented  a  sure  mark  for  the  bullet, 
and  they  were  shot  down  and  cut  down  without 
mercy.  It  was  no  longer  a  fight,  but  a  massa- 
cre. The  Indians,  bewildered  with  terror,  threw 


1637.]         THE   PEQUOT  WAE.  143 

Horrors  of  the  scene.        Extermination.         Number  of  those  escaping. 

•down  their  arms,  and  rushed  to  and  fro  in  vain 
attempts  to  escape.  Some  climbed  the  pali- 
sades, only  to  present  a  sure  target  for  innu- 
merable bullets  ;  others  plunged  into  the  eddy- 
ing flames  which  were  fiercely  devouring  their 
dwellings.  For  a  moment  their  dark  bodies 
seemed  to  tremble  and  vibrate  in  the  glowing 
furnace,  and  then  they  fell  as  crisped  embers. 

The  heat  soon  became  so  intense  and  the 
smoke  so  smothering  that  the  English  were 
compelled  to  retire  outside  of  the  fort.  But 
they  surrounded  the  flaming  fortress,  and  every 
Indian  who  attempted  to  escape  was  shot.  In 
one  short  hour  the  awful  deed  was  accomplish- 
ed. The  whole  interior  of  the  fort  was  in  ash- 
es, and  all  the  inmates  were  destroyed  with 
the  exception  of  seven  only  who  escaped,  and 
seven  who  were  taken  captives.  The  English 
knew  that  at  a  short  distance  from  them  there 
was  another  fort  filled  with  Pequot  warriors. 
It  consequently  was  not  safe  to  burden  their 
little  band  with  prisoners  whom  they  could 
neither  guard  nor  feed.  They  also  wished  to 
strike  a  blow  which  would  appall  the  savages 
and  prevent  all  future  outrages.  Death  was, 
therefore,  the  doom  of  all. 

The  Mohegans  and  Narragansets,  who  had 


144  K.ING   PHILIP.  [1637, 

Amazement  of  tha  Indians.  Destitution  of  the  English. 

timidly  followed  the  English,  and  who  had  not 
ventured  into  the  fort  of  the  dreaded  Pequots, 
stood  tremblingly  at  a  distance,  gazing  with  dis- 
may upon  their  swift  and  terrible  destruction. 
The  morning  was  cold,  and  a  strong  wind  swept 
the  bleak  hills.  The  little  army  was  entirely 
destitute  of  provisions,  for  no  baggage-wagons 
could  accompany  them  through  the  wilderness. 
They  had  hoped  to  obtain  corn  from  the  Indian 
fort,  but  the  conflagration  to  which  they  had 
been  unexpectedly  compelled  to  resort  had  con- 
sumed every  thing.  Several  of  their  number 
had  been  killed ;  more  than  twenty  were  se- 
verely wounded.  Their  surgeon  and  all  their 
necessaries  for  the  wounded  were  on  board  the 
vessels,  which  were  to  have  sailed  the  night  be- 
fore from  Narraganset  Bay  for  Pequot  Harbor. 
Nearly  all  their  ammunition  was  consumed. 
At  a  short  distance  from  them  there  was  anoth- 
er still  more  formidable  fort  filled  with  fierce 
Pequot  warriors,  where  Sassacus  himself  com- 
manded. Thus,  even  in  this  hour  of  signal  vic- 
tory, starvation  and  ruin  stared  them  in  the 
face. 

The  officers  met  together  in  anxious  consult- 
ation. Just  then  the  sun  rose  brilliantly,  ancfc 
revealed  the  vessels  but  a  few  miles  distant.. 


1637.]         THE   PEQUOT   WAR.  145 

The  vessels  seen.  Attack  from  the  Indians. 

sailing  before  a  fair  wind  toward  Pequot  Har- 
bor. These  strange  men,  of  cast-iron  mould, 
gave  expression  to  their  joy,  not  in  huzzas,  but 
in  prayers  and  thanksgivings.  But  in  the  midst 
of  this  joy  their  attention  was  arrested  by  an- 
other spectacle.  Three  hundred  Pequots,  like 
a  pack  of  tumultuous,  howling  wolves,  came 
rushing  along  from  the  other  fort.  They  had 
heard  the  guns  and  seen  the  flames,  and  were 
hurrying  to  the  rescue. 

As  soon  as  the  savages  came  in  sight  of  the 
fort,  and  saw  its  utter  destruction,  they  stopped 
a  moment,  as  if  aghast  with  rage  and  despair. 
They  howled  and  tore  out  their  hair,  and,  by 
their  phrensied  gestures,  appeared  to  be  in  a 
delirium  of  fury.  They  then  made  a  simulta- 
neous rush  upon  the  English,  resolved  to  take 
revenge  at  whatever  sacrifice  of  their  own  lives. 
There  were  now  but  forty-four  Englishmen  in 
a  condition  to  fight.  Three  hundred  savages 
— seven  to  one — rushed  upon  them  in  demoniac 
rage.  But  European  weapons,  and  the  courage 
and  discipline  of  civilized  life,  were  equal  to  the 
emergency. 

Captain  Mason  promptly  led  forward  a  body 
of  chosen  men,  who  gave  the  savages  so  warm 
a  reception  as  to  check  their  advance  and  cause 

2-10 


KING   PHILIP.  [1637. 

Valor  of  the  Knglish.  Desertion  of  the  Narra^ansete. 

them  to  recoil.  These  intrepid  colonists,  with 
cool,  unerring  aim,  wasted  not  a  bullet.  Every 
report  of  the  musket  was  the  death  of  an  In- 
dian. The  savages,  thus  repulsed,  took  refuge 
behind  trees  and  rocks,  and  with  great  bravery 
pressed  and  harassed  the  English  with  every 
missile  of  savage  warfare.  A  rear-guard  was 
DOW  appointed,  under  Captain  Underbill,  which 
kept  the  savages  at  a  distance,  while  the  whole 
party  marched  slowly  toward  the  vessels,  which 
were  now  entering  Pequot  Harbor. 

Several  of  the  English  had  been  slain.  Five 
were  so  severely  wounded  that  they  were  ut- 
terly helpless,  and  had  to  be  earned  in  the  arms 
of  their  friends.  Twenty  others  were  also  so 
disabled  that,  though  they  could  with  difficulty 
hobble  along,  they  were  unable  to  bear  the  bur- 
den of  their  own  weapons.  Nearly  all  the  Nar 
raganset  Indians  had  now  abandoned  the  En- 
glish, and,  with  cowardice  which  it  is  difficult 
to  explain,  had  retired  precipitately  through  the 
woods  to  their  own  country.  But  the  Mohe- 
gans  had  no  place  of  refuge ;  their  only  safety 
was  in  clinging  to  the  English.  Captain  Ma- 
son, that  he  might  avail  himself  of  the  energies 
of  all  his  men  who  were  able  to  fight,  employed 
these  panic-stricken  and  impotent  allies  in  car- 


1637.]        THE  PEQUOT  WAR.  147 

Retreat  of  the  Knglish.  Grief  of  Sassacus. 

rying  the  wounded,  four  taking  in  their  arms 
one  man.  The  Indians  also  bore  the  weapons 
of  those  who  were  too  weak  to  carry  them  them- 
selves. In  this  way  the  colonists  marched  in 
an  uninterrupted  battle  for  several  miles  to  their 
vessels.  The  Pequots  pressed  them  closely, 
assailing  them  with  great  fierceness  and  brave- 
ry, sending  parties  in  advance  to  form  ambush- 
es in  the  thickets,  and  shooting  their  barbed 
and  poisoned  arrows  from  behind  every  rock 
and  tree.  At  last  the  colonists  reached  the  wa- 
ter's side  in  safety,  and  the  Pequots,  with  yells 
of  rage,  retired. 

Sassacus  was  quite  overwhelmed  by  this  dis- 
aster. All  his  warriors  were  terror-stricken, 
and  feared  to  remain  in  the  fort,  lest  they 
should  experience  the  same  doom  which  had 
overwhelmed  their  companions.  In  their  des- 
ultory wars,  the  loss  of  a  few  men  was  deemed 
a  great  disaster.  To  have  six  or  seven  hund- 
red of  their  warriors,  hitherto  deemed  invincible, 
in  one  hour  shot  or  burned  to  ashes,  was  to  them 
inexpressibly  awful.  In  dismay,  they  set  fire 
to  the  royal  fortress  arid  to  all  the  adjacent 
wigwams,  and  fled  into  the  fastnesses  of  the 
forest.  Captain  Mason  placed  his  wounded  on 
board  the  vessels,  obtained  a  supply  of  food 


148  KING   PHILIP.  [1637 

Journey  to  Saybrook.  Effects  of  the  victory. 

and  a  slight  re -enforcement,  and  then  com- 
menced his  march  for  the  fort  at  Saybrook, 
which  was  about  twenty  miles  distant.  The 
Indians,  whose  wigwams  were  scattered  here 
and  there  through  the  forest,  fled  in  terror  be- 
fore him.  The  English,  however,  burned  every 
dwelling,  and  destroyed  all  the  corn-fields.  At 
Saybrook  the  victorious  party  were  received 
with  great  exultation.  They  then  ascended 
the  river  to  Hartford,  and  the  men  returned  to 
their  several  families,  having  been  absent  but 
three  weeks. 

It  is  impossible  for  us  to  conceive,  in  these 
days  of  abundance  and  security,  the  rapture 
which  this  signal  victory  excited  through  all 
the  dwellings  on  the  banks  of  the  Connecticut. 
One  half  of  the  effective  men  of  the  colony  had 
gone  forth  to  the  battle,  while  the  rest  remain- 
ed at  home,  armed,  and  sleeplessly  vigilant,  to 
protect  the  women  and  the  children  from  a  foe 
demoniac  in  mercilcssness.  The  issues  of  the 
conflict  were  doubtful.  Defeat  was  death  to 
all — more  than  death  :  midnight  conflagration, 
torture,  and  hopeless  captivity  of  mothers  and 
daughters  in  the  dark  wilderness  and  in  the 
wigwams  of  the  savage.  Tears  of  gratitude 
gushed  from  the  eyes  of  parents  and  children  ; 


1637.]         THE   PEQUOT   WAR.  149 

News  of  the  victory  dispatched  to  Massachusetts.  New  expedition. 

heartfelt  prayers  and  praises  ascended  from  ev- 
ery family  altar  and  from  every  worshiping  as- 
sembly. 

An  Indian  runner  was  immediately  dispatch- 
ed to  Massachusetts  to  carry  the  news  of  the 
decisive  victory  gained  by  the  Connecticut 
troops  alone.  To  complete  the  work  thus  au- 
spiciously begun,  Connecticut  raised  another 
band  of  forty  men,  and  Massachusetts  sent  one 
hundred  and  twenty  to  meet  them  at  Pequot 
Harbor.  The  latter  part  of  June,  four  weeks 
after  the  destruction  of  the  forts  there,  these 
two  bodies  met,  in  strong  martial  array,  upon 
the  ruins  of  the  empire  of  Sassacus,  resolved  to 
prosecute  the  war  to  the  utter  extermination 
of  the  Pequots.  The  despairing  fugitives  had 
retired  into  the  wilderness  toward  the  west. 
The  Indians,  encumbered  with  their  women  and 
children,  arid  destitute  of  food,  could  move  but 
slowly.  They  were  compelled  to  keep  near  the 
shore,  that  they  might  dig  clams,  which  food 
was  almost  their  only  refuge  from  starvation. 

The  English  vigorously  pursued  them,  occa- 
sionally shooting  a  straggler  or  picking  up  a 
few  captives,  whom  they  retained  as  guides. 
When  they  arrived  at  Saybrook,  one  party  fol- 
lowed along  the  coast  in  boats,  while  the  others, 


150  KING   PHILIP.  [1637. 

Fugitives.  Pursuit  Sachem's  Head. 

accompanied  by  Uncas  and  a  band  of  Mohe- 
gan  Indians,  scoured  the  shore.  They  came  at 
length  to  Menunkatuck,  now  called  Guiltbrd. 
The  south  side  of  the  harbor  here  is  formed  by 
a  long  peninsula.  Some  Pequots,  pursued  by 
the  English,  ran  down  this  neck  of  land,  hop- 
ing that  their  tireless  enemies  would  miss  their 
track  and  pass  by.  But  Uncas,  with  Indian 
sagacity,  led  the  party  on  the  trail.  The  Pe- 
quots, rinding  their  foes  upon  them,  plunged 
into  the  water  and  swam  across  the  narrow 
mouth  of  the  harbor.  But  another  party  of  En- 
glish was  already  there,  who  seized  them  as  they 
waded  to  the  shore.  The  chief  of  this  little 
band  of  Pequots  was  sentenced  to  be  shot.  He 
was  bound  to  a  tree,  and  Uncas,  with  nervous 
arm,  sent  an  arrow  through  his  heart.  The 
head  of  the  savage  was  then  cut  off  and  placed 
in  the  crotch  of  a  large  oak  tree,  where  it  re- 
mained for  many  years,  dried  and  shriveled  in 
the  sun,  a  ghastly  memorial  of  days  of  violence 
and  blood.  From  this  extraordinary  incident, 
the  bluff,  to  the  present  day,  bears  the  name  of 
Sachem's  Head. 

The  little  army  pressed  vigorously  on,  by 
land  and  by  sea,  some  twenty  miles  farther 
west,  to  a  place  called  Quinnipiac,  now  New 


1637.]        THE   PEQUOT  WAR.  151 

Arrival  at  New  Haven.  News  of  a  camp  in  a  swamp. 

Haven.  Here  they  found  a  good  harbor  for 
their  vessels,  and  they  remained  several  days 
for  rest.  They  saw  the  smokes  of  great  tires 
in  the  woods,  and  sent  out  several  expeditions 
in  search  of  the  Indians,  but  could  tind  none. 
A  Pequot,  a  traitor  to  his  tribe,  came  in  and 
informed  them  that  a  Jmndred  Pequot  warriors, 
with  some  two  hundred  men,  women,  and  chil- 
dren of  an  adjacent  tribe,  had  taken  refuge  in  a 
large  swamp  about  twenty-five  miles  west. 
This  swamp  was  in  the  present  town  of  Fair- 
field,  directly  back  of  the  village.  The  army 
immediately  advanced  with  all  dispatch  to  the 
swamp.  The  bog  was  so  deep  and  wet,  and 
tangled  with  underbrush,  that  it  seemed  impos- 
sible to  enter  it.  A  few  made  the  attempt,  but 
they  sank  in  the  mire,  and  were  sorely  wounded 
by  arrows  shot  from  an  invisible  foe. 

The  English,  with  their  Indian  allies,  sur- 
rounded the  swamp.  They  were  enabled  to  do 
this  by  placing  their  men  at  about  twelve  feet 
distance  from  each  other.  Several  skirmishes 
ensued,  in  which  a  number  of  Indians  were 
shot.  At  length  the  Indians  who  lived  in  that 
vicinity,  and  who  had  taken  no  part  in  the  out- 
rages committed  against  the  colonists,  but  who, 
in  their  terror,  had  followed  the  Pequots  into 


152  KING  PHILIP.  [1637. 

Surrender  of  Indians.  Escape  of  the  Pequota." 

the  swamp,  sent  a  delegation  to  the  English 
imploring  quarter.  The  poor  creatures  were 
perishing  of  starvation.  The  fierce  and  haugh- 
ty Pequots,  however,  scorned  to  ask  for  mer- 
cy. They  resolved  to  cut  their  way  through 
tne  enemy,  or  to  sell  their  lives  as  dearly  as 
possible.  The  English  promised  life  to  all  who 
would  surrender,  and  who  had  never  shed  the 
blood  of  the  colonists.  Two  hundred  men, 
women,  and  children  immediately  emerged  from 
the  swamp.  The  sachem  declared  that  neither 
he  nor  his  people  had  ever  done  any  harm  to 
the  English.  They  were  accordingly  left  un- 
molested. 

There  were  now  nearly  two  hundred  Pequots 
in  the  swamp.  Night  came  on,  and  the  English 
watched  with  sleepless  vigilance  lest  they  should 
make  their  escape.  Toward  morning  a  dense 
fog  rose,  adding  to  the  gloom  and  darkness  of 
the  dreary  scene.  Availing  themselves  of  this, 
the  shrewd  savages  made  several  feints  at  dif- 
ferent points,  and  then,  with  a  simultaneous 
rush,  made  a  desperate  effort  to  break  through. 
About  seventy  of  the  most  vigorous  of  the  war- 
riors effected  their  escape ;  all  the  rest  were  ei- 
ther killed  or  taken  prisoners. 

Sassacus,  with  this  remnant  of  his  once  pow 


1637.]         THE  PEQUOT  WAR.  153 

Peath  of  Saasacua.  Children  sold  into  slavery. 

erful  tribe,  fled  over  the  mountains  and  beyond 
the  Hudson  to  the  land  of  the  Mohawks.  The 
fierce  Mohawks,  regarding  him  and  his  compan- 
ions as  intruders,  tell  upon  them,  and  they  were 
all  slain  but  one,  who,  bleeding  with  his  wounds, 
made  his  escape.  They  cut  off  the  head  of  Sas- 
sacus,  and  sent  his  scalp,  as  evidence  of  his 
death,  to  Connecticut.  A  part  of  his  skin  and 
a  lock  of  his  hair  was  sent  to  Boston.  During 
these  conflicts  many  women  and  children  were 
taken  prisoners.  We  blush  to  record  that  the 
boys  were  all  sent  to  the  West  Indies,  and  sold 
into  bondage.  The  women  and  girls  were  di- 
vided about  among  the  colonists  of  Connecticut 
and  Massachusetts  as  servants. 

The  Narragansets  and  the  Mohegans  now 
became  very  valiant,  and  eagerly  hunted  through 
the  woods  for  the  few  straggling  Pequots  who 
remained.  Quite  a  number  they  killed,  and 
brought  their  gory  heads  as  trophies  to  Wind- 
sor and  to  Hartford.  The  Pequots  had  been 
so  demoniac  in  their  cruelty  that  the  colonists 
had  almost  ceased  to  regard  them  as  human 
beings.  The  few  wretched  survivors  were  so 
hunted  and  harassed  that  some  fled  far  away, 
and  obtained  incorporation  into  other  tribes. 
Others  came  imploringly  to  the  English  at  Hart- 


154  KING   PHILIP.  [1637. 

Extermination  of  the  tribe.  The  motives  for  the  deed. 

ford,  and  offered  to  be  their  servants,  to  be  dis- 
posed of  at  their  pleasure,  if  their  lives  might 
be  spared. 

Such  is  the  melancholy  recital  of  the  utter 
extermination  of  the  Pequot  tribe.  Deeply  as 
some  of  the  events  in  this  transaction  are  to  be 
condemned  and  deplored,  much  allowance  is  to 
be  made  for  men  exasperated  by  all  the  name- 
less horrors  of  Indian  war.  A  pack  of  the  most 
ferocious  of  the  beasts  of  the  forest  was  infi- 
nitely less  to  be  dreaded  than  a  marauding  band 
of  Pequots.  The  Pequots  behaved  like  demons, 
and  the  colonists  treated  them  as  such.  The 
man  whose  son  had  been  tortured  to  death  by 
the  savages,  whose  house  and  barns  had  been 
burned  by  the  midnight  conflagration,  whose 
wife  and  infant  child  had  been  brained  upon  his 
hearthstone,  and  whose  daughters  were,  perhaps. 
in  captivity  in  the  forest,  was  not  in  a  mood  of 
mind  to  deal  gently  with  a  foe  so  fiendliku. 
We  may  deplore  it,  but  we  can  not  wonder, 
and  we  can  not  sternly  blame. 

This  destruction  of  the  Pequots  so  impressed 
the  New  England  tribes  with  the  power  of  the 
English,  and  struck  them  with  so  much  terror, 
that  for  nearly  forty  years  the  war-whoop  was 
not  again  heard.  The  Indian  tribes  had  con- 


1637.]        THE  PEQUOT  WAE.  155 


The  sunshine  of  peace  and  plenty. 


flicts  with  each  other,  but  the  colonists,  blessed 
with  ever-increasing  prosperity,  slept  in  peace 
and  safety. 

In  view  of  the  exploits  of  the  Pequot  warri- 
ors, Dr.  Dwight,  with  some  poetic  license,  ex- 
claims : 

"  And  O,  ye  chiefs  !  in  yonder  starry  home, 
Accept  the  humble  tribute  of  this  rhyme. 

Your  gallant  deeds  in  Greece  or  haughty  Rome, 
By  Maro  sung,  or  Homer's  harp  sublime, 
Had  charm'd  the  world's  wide  round,  and  triumph'd  over 
time." 


156  KING   PHILIP.  [1640. 

Continued  prosperity.  Establishment  of  Harvard  College. 


CHAPTER  V. 

COMMENCEMENT  OF  THE  REIGN  OF 
KING  PHILIP. 

WITH  peace  came  abundant  prosperity. 
Emigrants  flocked  over  to  the  New 
World.  In  ten  years  after  the  Pequot  war  the 
colonists  had  settled  fifty  towns  and  villages, 
had  reared  forty  churches,  several  forts  and 
prisons,  and  the  Massachusetts  colony,  decided 
ly  pre-eminent,  had  established  Harvard  Col- 
lege. The  wilderness  indeed  began  to  blossom, 
and  gardens,  orchards,  rich  pastures,  fields  of 
grain,  and  verdant  meadows  cheered  the  eye 
and  filled  the  dwellings  with  abundance. 

There  were  now  four  English  colonies,  Plym- 
outh, Massachusetts,  Connecticut,  and  New  Ha- 
ven. There  were  also  the  germs  of  two  more, 
one  at  Providence  and  the  other  on  Rhode  Isl- 
and. The  Indians,  with  the  exception  of  illus- 
trious individuals,  were  a  vagabond  set  of  per- 
fidious and  ferocious  savages.  They  were  in- 
cessantly fighting  with  each  other,  and  it  re- 
quired all  the  efforts  of  the  English  to  keep 


1644.J     KING  PHILIP'S  REIGN.          157 

Acts  of  violence.  Death  of  Miantunnomah. 

them  under  any  degree  of  restraint.  The  utter 
extirpation  of  the  Pequots  so  appalled  them, 
that  for  forty  years  no  tribe  ventured  to  wage 
war  against  the  English.  Yet  during  this 
time  individual  Indians  committed  many  enor- 
mous outrages  of  robbery  and  murder,  for  which 
the  sachems  of  the  tribes  were  not  responsible. 
The  Mohegans,  under  Uncas,  had  become  very 
powerful.  They  had  a  fierce  fight  with  the 
Narragansets.  Miantunnomah  was  taken  cap- 
tive. Uncas  put  him  to  death  upon  Norwich 
plain  by  splitting  his  head  open  with  a  hatchet. 
The  Mohegan  sachem  tore  a  large  piece  of  flesh 
from  the  shoulder  of  his  victim,  and  ate  it  greed- 
ily, exclaiming,  "It  is  the  sweetest  meal  I  ever 
tasted  ;  it  makes  my  heart  strong." 

Marauding  bands  of  Indians  often  committed 
murders.  The  efforts  of  the  English  to  punish 
the  culprits  would  exasperate  others,  and  pro- 
voke new  violence.  Indications  of  combina- 
tions among  the  savages  were  frequently  devel- 
oped, and  the  colonists  were  often  thrown  into 
a  general  state  of  alarm,  in  anticipation  of  the 
,  horrors  of  another  Indian  war. 

In  the  year  1644,  a  Massachusetts  colonist 
visiting  Connecticut  was  murdered  on  the  way 
by  an  Indian.  The  English  demanded  the  mur- 


158  KING  PHILIP.  [1645. 

The  war-whoop  resumed.  The  United  Colonies  of  New  England. 

derer.  The  Indians,  under  various  subterfuges, 
refused  to  give  him  up.  The  English,  in  retal- 
iation, seized  upon  eight  or  ten  Indians,  and 
threw  them  into  prison,  This  so  exasperated 
the  savages  that  they  raised  the  war-whoop, 
grasped  their  arms,  and  threatened  dire  revenge. 
By  boldness  and  moderation  the  English  ac- 
complished their  ends,  and  the  murderer  was 
surrendered  to  justice.  A  few  weeks  after  this 
an  Indian  entered  a  house  in  Stamford.  He 
found  a  woman  there  alone  with  her  infant  child. 
With  three  blows  of  the  tomahawk  he  cut  her 
down,  and,  plundering  the  house,  left  her,  as  he 
supposed,  dead.  She,  however,  so  far  recovered 
as  to  describe  the  Indian  and  his  dress.  With 
great  difficulty,  the  English  succeeded  in  obtain- 
ing the  murderer.  The  savages  threw  every 
possible  impediment  in  the  way  of  justice,  and 
assumed  such  a  threatening  attitude  as  to  put 
the  colonists  to  great  trouble  and  expense  in 
preparing  for  war. 

.  In  view  of  such  perils,  in  the  year  1645,  the 
colonies  of  Massachusetts,  Plymouth,  Connect- 
icut, and  New  Haven  formed  a  confederacy,  un- 
der the  name  of  the  United  Colonies  of  Nev: 
England.  They  thus  entered  into  an  alliance 
offensive  and  defensive.  Each  colony  retained, 


1646.J     KING  PHILIP'S  REIGN.         159 

A  confederacy.  Indian  conspiracy.  Indian  outrages. 

in  its  domestic  concerns,  its  own  government 
and  jurisdiction.  Two  commissioners  from  each 
colony  formed  a  board  for  managing  the  com- 
mon affairs  of  the  Confederacy.  This  was  the 
germ  of  the  present  Congi-ess  of  the  United 
States. 

In  the  year  1646  a  large  number  of  Indians 
formed  a  conspiracy  to  set  fire  to  Hartford  arid 
murder  the  inhabitants.  An  Indian  who  was 
engaged  to  assassinate  the  governor,  terrified, 
as  he  remembered  that  every  one  who  had  thus 
far  murdered  an  Englishman  had  been  arrested 
and  executed,  revealed  the  plot.  The  Indians 
generally,  at  this  time,  manifested  a  very  hos- 
tile spirit,  and  many  outrages  were  perpetrated. 
The  English  did  not  deem  it  prudent  to  pursue 
and  punish  the  conspirators,  but  overlooked  the 
offense. 

In  the  wars  which  the  savages  waged  with 
each  other,  the  hostile  parties  would  pursue  their 
victims  even  into  the  houses  of  the  English, 
and  cut  them  down  before  the  eyes  of  the  hor- 
ror-stricken women  and  children.  In  a  very 
dry  time  the  Indians  set  fire  to  the  woods  all 
around  the  town  of  Milford,  hoping  thus  to  set 
fire  to  the  town.  With  the  greatest  difficulty 
the  inhabitants  rescued  their  dwellings  from  the 
rlames. 


160  KING  "PHILIP.  [1661. 

Opposition  of  the  English  to  war.  Death  of  Massasoit, 

In  the  year  1648,  marauding  bands  of  the 
Narragansets  committed  intolerable  outrages 
against  the  people  of  Rhode  Island,  killing 
their  cattle,  robbing  their  houses,  and  insulting 
and  even  beating  the  inmates.  The  colonist? 
were  exceedingly  perplexed  to  know  what  to  do 
in  these  emergencies.  The  whole  wilderness 
of  North  America  was  filled  with  savages.  If 
they  commenced  a  general  war,  it  was  impossi- 
ble to  predict  how  far  its  ravages  might  extend. 
The  colonists  were  eminently  men  cf  peace. 
They  wished  to  build  houses,  and  cultivate 
fields,  and  surround  their  homes  with  the  com- 
forts and  the  opulence  of  a  high  civilization. 
They  had  bought  their  lands  of  the  Indians  fair- 
ly, and  had  paid  for  them  all  that  the  lands  then 
Were  worth. 

Massasoit  died  about  the  year  1661.  He  re- 
mained firm  in  his  fidelity  to.  the  English  until 
his  death,  though  very  hostile  to  the  conversion 
of  the  Indians  to  Christianity.  At  one  time, 
vhen  treating  for  the  sale  of  some  of  his  lands 
in  Swanzey,  he  insisted  very  pertinaciously 
upon  the  condition  that  the  English  should 
never  attempt  to  draw  off  any  of  his  people 
from  their  religion  to  Christianity.  He  would 
not  recede  from  this  condition  until  he  found 


1661.]     KING   PHILIP'S   REIGN.          161 

Changing  names.  Sons  of  Massasoit.  Wetamoo. 

that  the  treaty  must  be  broken  off  unless  he 
yielded. 

As  the  English  found  many  of  the  Indian 
names  hard  to  remember  and  to  pronounce, 
they  were  fond  of  giving  English  names  to  those 
with  whom  they  had  frequent  intercourse.  The 
Indians  in  general  were  quite  proud  of  receiving 
these  names.  Massasoit,  with  that  innate  digni- 
ty which  pertained  to  his  imperial  state,  disdain- 
ed to  receive  any  other  name  but  the  one  which 
he  proudly  bore  as  his  ancestral  legacy.  A 
few  years  before  his  death,  however,  he  brought 
his  two  sons,  Wamsutta  and  Pometacom,  to 
Plymouth,  and  requested  the  governor,  in  to- 
ken of  friendship,  to  give  them  English  names. 
They  were  very  bright,  attractive  young  men, 
of  the  finest  physical  development.  The  gov- 
ernor related  to  Massasoit  the  history  of  the  re- 
nowned kings  of  Macedon,  Philip  and  Alexan- 
der, and  gave  to  Wamsutta,  the  oldest,  the  name 
of  Alexander,  the  great  warrior  of  Asia,  and  to 
Pometacom,  the  younger,  the  less  renowned 
name  of  Philip.  These  two  young  men  had 
married  sisters,  the  daughters  of  the  sachem  of 
Pocasset.  The  name  of  the  wife  of  Alexander 
was  Wetamoo,  an  unfortunate  princess  who  be- 
came quite  illustrious  in  subsequent  scenes. 
2—11 


162  KING  PHILIP.  [1661. 

Decline  of  Indian  power.  Mutual  wrongs. 

The  wife  of  Philip  had  the  euphonious  name  of 
Wootonekanuske. 

Upon  the  death  of  Massasoit,  his  eldest  son 
Alexander  was  invested  with  the  chieftainship. 
The  lands  of  the  Indians  were  now  very  rapidly 
passing  away  from  the  native  proprietors  to  the 
new-comers,  and  English  settlements  were  every 
where  springing  up  in  the  wilderness.  The 
Indian  power  was  evidently  declining,  while 
that  of  the  white  man  was  on  the  increase. 
With  prosperity  came  avarice.  Unprincipled 
men  flocked  to  the  colonies ;  the  Indians  were 
despised,  and  often  harshly  treated ;  and  the 
forbearance  which  marked  the  early  intercourse 
of  the  Pilgrims  with  the  natives  was  forgotten. 
The  colonists  had  generally  become  exaspera- 
ted with  the  outrages  of  lawless  vagabond  sav- 
ages, whom  the  sachems  could  not  restrain,  and 
who  ranged  the  country,  shooting  their  cattle, 
pillaging  their  houses,  and  often  committing 
murder.  A  hungry  savage  was  as  ready  to 
shoot  a  heifer  in  the  pasture  as  a  deer  in  the 
forest,  if  he  could  do  so  and  escape  detection. 
There  thus  very  naturally  grew  up,  upon  both 
sides,  a  spirit  of  alienation  and  suspicion. 

Alexander  kept  aloof  from  the  English,  and 
was  cold  and  reserved  whenever  he  met  them. 


1661.]     KING  PHILIP'S  REIGN.          163- 

Alexander  .summoned  to  court.  He  promises  to  attend. 

Rumors  began  to  float  through  the  air  that  the 
Wampanougs  were  meditating  hostilities.  Some 
of  the  colonists,  who  had  been  called  by  busi- 
ness to  Narraganset,  wrote  to  Governor  Prince^ 
at  Plymouth,  that  Alexander  was  making  prep- 
arations for  war,  and  that  he  was  endeavoring 
to  persuade  the  Narragansets  to  unite  with  him 
in  a  general  assault  upon  the  English  settle- 
ments. Governor  Prince  immediately  sent  a 
messenger  to  Alexander,  at  Mount  Hope,  in- 
forming him  of  these  reports  of  his  hostile  in- 
tentions which  were  in  circulation,  and  request- 
ing him  to  attend  the  next  court  in  Plymouth, 
to  vindicate  himself  from  these  charges. 

Alexander  apparently  received  this  message 
in  a  very  friendly  spirit.  He  assured  Captain 
Willet,  the  messenger,  that  the  accusation  was 
a  gross  slander ;  that  the  Narragansets  were  his 
unrelenting  foes;  and  that  they  h;.d  fabricated 
the  story  that  they  might  alienate  from  him  his 
good  friends  the  English.  He  promised  that 
he  would  attend  the  next  meeting  of  the  court 
at  Plymouth,  and  prove  the  truth  of  these  dec- 
larations. 

Notwithstanding  this  ostensible  sincerity  and 
friendliness,  various  circumstances  concurred  to- 
increase  suspicion.  When  the  court  assem- 


164  KING  PHILIP.  [1661. 

Departure  of  Major  Winslow.  He  finds  Alexander. 

bled,  Alexander,  instead  of  making  his  appear- 
ance according  to  his  agreement,  was  found  to 
be  on  a  visit  to  the  sachem  of  the  Nnrragan- 
sets,  his  pretended  enemies.  Upon  this,  Gov- 
ernor Prince  assembled  his  counselors,  and, 
after  deliberation,  ordered  Major  Winslow,  aft- 
erward governor  of  the  colony,  to  take  an  armed 
band,  go  to  Mount  Hope,  seize  Alexander  by 
surprise  before  he  should  have  time  to  rally  his 
warriors  around  him,  and  take  him  by  force  to 
Plymouth.  Major  Winslow  immediately  set 
out,  with  ten  men,  from  Marshfield,  intending 
to  increase  his  force  from  the  towns  nearer  to 
Mount  Hope.  When  about  half  way  between 
Plymouth  and  Bridgewater,  they  came  to  a  large 
pond,  probably  Moonponsett  Pond,  in  the  pres- 
ent towti  of  Halifax.  Upon  the  margin  of  this 
sheet  of  water  they  saw  an  Indian  hunting  lodge, 
and  soon  ascertained  that  it  was  one  of  the  sev- 
eral transient  residences  of  Alexander,  and  that 
he  was  then  there,  with  a  large  party  of  his 
warriors,  on  a  hunting  and  fishing  excursion. 

The  colonists  cautiously  approached,  and  saw 
that  the  guns  of  the  Indians  were  all  stacked 
outside  of  the  lodge,  at  some  distance,  and  that 
the  whole  party  were  in  the  house  engaged  in  a 
banquet.  As  the  Wampanoags  were  then,  and 


1661.]     KING   PHILIP'S    REIGN.         165 

Preparations  for  the  arrest.  Kage  of  Alexander. 

had  been  for  forty  years,  at  peace  with  the  En- 
glish, and  as  they  were  not  at  war  with  any 
other  people,  and  were  in  the  very  heart  of  their 
own  territories,  no  precautions  whatever  were 
adopted  against  surprise. 

Major  Winslow  dispatched  a  portion  of  his 
force  to  seize  the  guns  of  the  Indians,  and  with 
the  rest  entered  the  hut.  The  savages,  eighty 
in  number,  manifested  neither  surprise  nor 
alarm  in  seeing  the  English,  and  were  appa- 
rently quite  unsuspicious  of  danger.  Major 
Winslow  requested  Alexander  to  walk  out  with 
him  for  a  few  moments,  arid  then,  through  an 
interpreter,  informed  the  proud  Indian  chieftain 
that  he  was  to  be  taken  under  arrest  to  Plym- 
outh, there  to  answer  to  the  charge  of  plotting 
against  the  English.  The  haughty  savage,  as 
soon  as  he  fully  comprehended  the  statement, 
was  in  a  towering  rage.  He  returned  to  his 
companions,  and  declared  that  he  would  not 
submit  to  such  an  indignity.  He  felt  as  the 
President  of  the  United  States  would  feel  in  be- 
ing arrested  by  a  sheriff  sent  from  the  Govern- 
or of  Canada,  commanding  him  to  submit  to  be 
taken  to  Quebec  to  answer  there  to  charges  to 
be  brought  against  him.  The  demand  was  of 
a  nature  to  preclude  the  exercise  of  courtesy. 


16G  KING  PHILIP.  [1661. 

The  forced  compliance.  The  return  to  Plymouth. 

As  there  were  some  indications  of  resistance, 
the  stern  major  presented  a  pistol  to  the  breast 
of  the  Indian  chieftain,  and  said, 

"  I  am  ordered  to  take  you  to  Plymouth. 
God  willing,  I  shall  do  it,  at  whatever  hazard. 
If  you  submit  peacefully,  you  shall  receive  re- 
spectful usage.  If  you  resist,  you  shall  die 
upon  the  spot." 

The  Indians  were  disarmed.  They  could  do 
nothing.  Alexander  was  almost  insane  with 
vexation  and  rage  in  finding  himself  thus  in- 
sulted, and  yet  incapable  of  making  any  resist- 
ance. His  followers,  conscious  of  the  utter 
helplessness  of  their  state,  entreated  him  not  to 
.resort  to  violence,  which  would  only  result  in 
his  death.  They  urged  him  to  yield  to  neces- 
sity, assuring  him  that  they  would  accompany 
him  as  his  retinue,  that  he  might  appear  in 
Plymouth  with  the  dignity  befitting  his  rank. 

The  colonists  immediately  commenced  their 
return  to  Plymouth  with  their  illustrious  cap- 
tive. There  was  a  large  party  of  Indian  war- 
riors in  the  train,  with  Wetamoo,  the  wife  of 
Alexander,  and  several  other  Indian  women. 
The  day  was  intensely  hot,  and  a  horse  was  of- 
fered to  the  chieftain  that  he  might  ride.  He 
declined  the  offer,  preferring  to  walk  Avith  his 


1661.]     KING   PHILIP'S   REIGN.         167 

The  royal  prisoner.  Sickness  of  Alexander. 

friends.  When  they  arrived  at  Duxbuiy,  as 
they  were  not  willing  to  thrust  Alexander  into 
a  prison,  Major  Winslow  received  him  into  his 
own  house,  where  he  guarded  him  with  vig- 
ilance, yet  treated  him  courteously,  until  orders 
could  be  received  from  Governor  Prince,  who  re- 
sided on  the  Cape  at  Eastham.  At  Duxbury, 
Alexander  and  his  train  were  entertained  for 
several  days  with  the  most  scrupulous  hospi- 
tality. But  the  imperial  spirit  of  the  Wam- 
panoag  chieftain  was  so  tortured  by  the  humil- 
iation to  which  he  was  exposed  that  he  was 
thrown  into  a  burning  fever.  The  best  med- 
ical attendance  was  furnished,  and  he  was 
nursed  with  the  utmost  care,  but  he  grew  daily 
worse,  and  soon  serious  fears  were  entertained 
that  he  would  die. 

The  Indian  warriors,  greatly  alarmed  for  their 
beloved  chieftain,  entreated  that  they  might  be 
permitted  to  take  Alexander  home,  promising 
that  they  Avould  return  with  him  as  soon  as  he 
had  recovered,  and  that,  in  the  mean  time,  the 
son  of  Alexander  should  be  sent  to  the  English 
as  a  hostage.  The  court  assented  to  this  ar- 
rangement. The  Indians  took  their  unhappy 
king,  dying  of  a  crushed  spirit,  upon  a  litter  on 
their  shoulders,  and  entered  the  trails  of  the 


1G8  KING  PHILIP.  [1661. 

The  king  taken  by  his  followers.     Death  of  Alexander.     King  Philip. 

forest.  Slowly  they  traveled  with  their  burden 
until  they  arrived  at  Tethquet,  now  Taunton 
River.  There  they  took  canoes.  They  had 
not,  however,  paddled  far  down  the  stream  be- 
fore it  became  evident  that  their  monarch  was 
dying.  They  placed  him  upon  a  grassy  mound 
beneath  a  majestic  tree,  and  in  silence  the  sto- 
ical warriors  gathered  around  to  witness  the  de- 
parture of  his  spirit  to  the  realms  of  the  Red 
Man's  immortality. 

What  a  scene  for  the  painter!  The  sub- 
limity of  the  forest,  the  glassy  sti'earn,  mean- 
dering beneath  the  overshadowing  trees,  the 
bark  canoes  of  the  natives  moored  to  the  shore, 
the  dying  chieftain,  with  his  warriors  assembled 
in  stern  sadness  around  him,  and  the  beautiful 
and  heroic  Wetamoo,  holding  in  her  lap  the 
head  of  her  dying  lord  as  she  wiped  his  clammy 
brow,  nursing  those  emotion?  of  revenge  which 
finally  desolated  the  three  colonies  with  flame, 
blood,  and  woe. 

The  tragic  death  of  Alexander  introduced  to 
the  throne  his  brother  Pometacom,  whom  the 
English  named  King  Philip. 

Much  has  been  written  respecting  the  In- 
dian's disregard  for  woman.  The  history  of 
Wetamoo  proves  that  these  views  have  been 


1661.]     KING   PHILIP'S  REIGN.         171 

Knmity  of  Wetamoo.  Her  power.  Endowments  of  Philip. 

very  greatly  exaggerated,  or  that  they  admit  of 
very  marked  exceptions.  Wetamoo  immedi- 
ately became  the  unrelenting  foe  of  the  English. 
With  all  the  fervor  of  her  fresh  nature,  she 
studied  to  avenge  her  husband's  death.  This 
one  idea  became  the  controlling  principle  of  her 
future  life.  That  Wamsutta's  death  was  caused 
by  the  anguish  of  a  wounded  spirit  no  colonist 
doubted ;  but  Wetamoo  believed,  and  most  of 
the  Indians  believed,  that  poison  had  been  ad- 
ministered to  the  captive  monarch,  and  that  he 
thus  perished  the  victim  of  foul  murder.  Weta- 
moo was  an  energetic,  and,  for  a  savage,  a  noble 
woman.  ,  All  the  energies  of  her  soul  were 
aroused  to  avenge  her  husband's  death.  She 
was  by  birth  the  princess  of  another  tribe,  and 
it  appears  that  she  had  power,  wroman  though 
she  was,  to  lead  three  hundred  warriors  into  the 
field. 

Philip  was  a  man  of  superior  endowments. 
He  clearly  understood  the  power  of  the  English, 
and  the  peril  to  be  encountered  in  waging  war 
against  them.  And  yet  he  as  distinctly  saw 
that,  unless  the  encroachments  of  the  English 
could  be  arrested,  his  own  race  was  doomed  to 
destruction.  At  one  time  he  was  quite  interest- 
ed in  the  Christian  religion ;  but  apparently  fore- 


172  KING   PHILIP.  [1661. 

His  religious  belief*.  His  opposition  to  changing  l.is  religion. 

seeing  thaf,  with  the  introduction  of  Christian- 
ity, all  the  peculiarities  of  manners  and  customs 
in  Indian  life  must  pass  away,  he  adopted  the 
7iews  of  his  father,  Massasoit,  and  became  bit- 
.erly  opposed  to  any  change  of  religion  among 
ais  people.  Mr.  Gookin,  speaking  of  the  Wam- 
panoags,  says :  ' 

"There  are  some  that  have  hopes  of  their 
greatest  and  chiefest  sachem,  named  Philip. 
Some  of  his  chief  men,  as  I  hear,  stand  well- 
inclined  to  hear  the  Gospel,  and  himself  is  a 
person  of  good  understanding  and  knowledge 
in  the  best  things.  I  have  heard  him  speak 
very  good  words,  arguing  that  his  conscience  is 
convicted.  But  yet,  though  his  will  is  bound 
to  embrace  Jesus  Christ,  his  sensual  and  carnal 
lusts  are  strong  bands  to  hold  him  fast  under 
Satan's  dominion." 

Some  time  after  this,  Rev.  Mr.  Elliot  records 
that,  in  conversation  with  King  Philip  upon  the 
subject  of  religion,  the  Wampanoag  chieftain 
took  hold  of  a  button  upon  Mr.  Elliot's  coat, 
and  said,  very  deliberately, 

"Mr.  Elliot,  I  care  no  more  for  the  Gospel  of 
Jesus  Christ  than  I  do  for  that  button." 

For  nine  years  Philip  was  probably  brooding 
over  the  subject  of  the  encroachments  of  the 


1676.J     KING   PHILIP'S   REIGN.          173 

Alleged  justice  of  the  English.  The  discontent  of  Philip  noticed. 

English,  and  the  waning  power  of  the  Indians. 
This  was  the  inevitable  result  of  the  idle,  vaga- 
bond life  of  the  Indians,  and  of  the  industry 
and  energy  of  the  colonists.  The  Indians  had 
not  thus  far  been  defrauded.  Mr.  Josiah  Wins- 
low,  governor  of  Plymouth  Colony,  writes,  in  a 
letter  dated  May  1,  167G : 

"  I  think  I  can  truly  say  that,  before  these 
present  troubles  broke  out,  the  English  did  not 
possess  one  foot  of  land  in  this  colony  but  what 
was  fairly  obtained  by  honest  purchase  of  the 
Indian  proprietors." 

The  discontent  of  Philip  did  not,  however, 
escape  the  notice  of  the  English,  and  for  a  long 
time  they  saw  increasing  indications  that  a 
storm  was  gathering.  The  wary  monarch,  with 
continued  protestations  of  friendship,  was  evi- 
dently accumulating  resources,  strengthening 
alliances,  and  distributing  more  extensively 
among  the  Indians  guns  and  other  weapons  of 
Indian  warfare.  His  warriors  soon  rivaled  the 
white  men  in  skill  as  sharpshooters,  and  be- 
came very  adroit  in  the  use  of  their  weapons. 
They  were  carefully  laying  up  stores  of  pow- 
der and  bullets,  and  Philip  could  not  conceal 
the  interest  with  which  he  endeavored  to  learn 
*iow  to  manufacture  gunpowder. 


174  KING  PHILIP.  [1G6U 

Mutual  suspicions.  Decline  of  the  Narrugansets. 

Under  this  state  of  affairs,  it  is  easy  to  per- 
ceive that  mutual  suspicions  and  recriminations 
must  have  rapidly  ensued.  The  Indians  and 
the  colonists,  year  after  year,  became  more  ex- 
asperated against  each  other.  The  dangers  of 
collision  were  constantly  growing  more  immi- 
nent. Many  deeds  of  violence  and  aggression 
were  perpetrated  by  individuals  upon  each  side. 
Still,  candor  compels  us  to  admit,  as  we  care- 
fully read  the  record  of  those  days,  that  the 
English  were  very  far  from  being  patterns  of 
meekness  and  long-suffering.  Haughtiness  and 
intolerance  when  in  power  has  marked  the  ca- 
reer of  our  venerated,  yet  far  from  faultless  an- 
cestors in  every  quarter  of  the  globe. 

The  Narraganset  tribe  had  now  lost  its  pre- 
eminence. Canonicus  had  long  since  died,  at 
the  age  of  eighty  years.  Miantunnomah  had 
been  taken  prisoner  by  the  Mohegans,  and  had 
been  executed  upon  the  plain  of  Norwich. 
Ninigret,  who  was  now  sovereign  chief  of  the 
Narragansets,  was  old,  infirm,  and  imbecile. 
His  character  illustrates  the  saying  of  Napole- 
on, that  "better  is  it  to  have  an  army  of  deer 
led  by  a  lion,  than  an  army  of  lions  led  by  a 
deer." 

Philip,  by  his  commanding  genius  and  dar- 


1665.]     KING  PHILIP'S  REIGN.          175 

The  fidelity  of  the  Mohegans.  Indian  vengeance. 

ing  spirit,  had  now  obtained  a  great  ascend- 
ency over  all  the  New  England  tribes  except- 
ing the  Mohegans.  They,  under  Uncas,  were 
strongly  attached  to  the  English,  to  whom  they 
were  indebted  for  their  very  existence.  The 
character  of  Philip  is  illustrated  by  the  follow- 
ing incident.  In  1665,  he  heard  that  an  In- 
dian had  spoken  disrespectfully  of  his  father, 
Massasoit.  To  avenge  the  insult,  he  pursued 
the  offender  from  place  to  place,  until,  at  last, 
he  tracked  him  to  the  island  of  Nantucket. 
Taking  a  canoe,  Philip  proceeded  to  the  island. 
Assasamooyh,  who,  by  speaking  ill  of  the  dead, 
had,  according  to  Indian  la\v,  forfeited  his  life, 
was  a  Christian  Indian.  He  was  sitting  at  the 
table  of  one  of  the  colonists,  when  a  messenger 
rushed  in  breathlessly,  and  informed  him  that 
the  dreaded  avenger  was  near  the  door.  Assas- 
amooyh had  but  just  time  to  rush  from  the 
house  when  Philip  was  upon  him.  The  Indian 
fled  like  a  frighted  deer,  pursued  by  the  venge- 
ful chieftain.  From  house  to  house  the  pursued 
and  his  pursuer  rushed,  while  the  English  looked 
with  amazement  at  this  exhibition  of  the  ener- 
gy of  Indian  law.  According  to  their  code, 
whoever  spoke  ill  of  the  dead  was  to  forfeit  life 
at  the  hand  of  the  nearest  relative.  Thus  Phil- 


176  KING  PHILIP.  [1671. 

llscape  of  the  victim.  Summons  to  Philip. 

ip,  with  his  brandished  tomahawk,  considered 
himself  but  the  honored  executor  of  justice. 
Assasamooyh,  however,  at  length  leaped  a  batik, 
and,  plunging  into  the  forest,  eluded  his  foe. 
The  English  then  succeeded,  by  a  very  heavy 
ransom,  in  purchasing  his  life,  and  Philip  re- 
turned to  Mount  Hope,  feeling  that  his  father's 
memory  hud  been  suitably  avenged. 

In  the  year  1671,  the  English,  alarmed  by 
the  threatening  aspect  of  affairs,  and  seeing  in- 
creasing indications  that  Philip  was  preparing 
for  hostilities,  sent  an  imperious  command  to 
him  to  come  to  Taunton  and  explain  his  con- 
ddct.  For  some  time  Philip  made  sundry  rather 
weak  excuses  for  not  complying  with  this  de- 
mand, at  the  same  time  reiterating  assurances 
of  his  friendly  feelings.  He  was,  as  yet,  quite 
unprepared  for  war,  and  was  very  reluctant  to 
precipitate  hostilities,  which  he  had  sufficient 
sagacity  to  foresee  would  involve  him  in  ruin, 
unless  he  could  first  form  such  a  coalition  ot 
the  Indian  tribes  as  would  enable  him  to  attack 
all  the  English  settlements  at  one  and  the  same 
time.  At  length,  however,  he  found  that  he 
could  no  longer  refuse  to  give  some  explanation 
of  the  measures  he  was  adopting  without  giving 
fatal  strength  to  the  suspicions  against  him. 


1671.]     KING   PHILIP'S  -KEIGN.         177 

Philip  appears  with  his  warriors.  His  caution. 

Accordingly,  on  the  10th  of  April  of  this  year, 
he  took  with  him  a  band  of  warriors,  armed  to 
the  teeth,  and  painted  arid  decorated  with  the 
most  brilliant  trappings  of  barbarian  splendor, 
and  approached  within  four  miles  of  Taunton. 
Here  the  proud  monarch  of  the  Wampanoags 
established  his  encampment,  and,  with  native- 
taught  punctiliousness,  sent  a  message  to  the 
English  governor,  informing  him  of  his  arrival 
at  that  spot,  and  requiring  him  to  come  and 
treat  with  him  there.  The  governor,  either 
afraid  to  meet  these  warriors  in  their  own  en- 
campment, or  deeming  it  beneath  his  dignity  to 
attend  the  summons  of  an  Indian  chieftain,  sent 
lloger  Williams,  with  several  other  messengers, 
to  assure  Philip  of  his  friendly  feelings,  and  to 
entreat  him  to  continue  his  journey  to  Taun- 
ton, as  a  more  convenient  place  for  their  confer- 
ence. Philip,  with  caution  which  subsequent 
events  proved  to  have  been  well  timed,  detained 
these  messengers  as  hostages  for  his  safe  re- 
turn, and  then,  with  an  imposing  retinue  of  his 
painted  braves,  proudly  strode  forward  toward 
the  town  of  Taunton. 

When  he  arrived  at  a  hill  upon  the  outskirts 
of  the  village,  he  again  halted,  and  warily  estab- 
lished sentinels  around  his  encampment.  The 


178  KING   PHILIP.  [1671. 

The  commissioners.  Desire  to  attack  the  Indians. 

governor  and  magistrates  of  Massachusetts,  ap- 
prehensive that  the  Plymouth  people  might  get 
embroiled  in  a  war  with  the  Indians,  and  anx- 
ious, if  possible,  to  avert  so  terrible  a  calamity, 
had  dispatched  three  commissioners  to  Taun- 
ton  to  endeavor  to  promote  reconciliation  be- 
tween the  Plymouth  colony  and  Philip.  These 
commissioners  were  now  in  conference  with  the 
Plymouth  court.  When  Philip  appeared  upon 
the  hill,  the  Plymouth  magistrates,  exasperated 
by  many  outrages,  were  quite  eager  to  march 
and  attack  him,  and  take  his  whole  party  pris- 
oners, and  hold  them  as  hostages  for  the  good 
behavior  of  the  Indians.  With  no  little  diffi- 
culty the  Massachusetts  commissioners  over- 
ruled this  rash  design,  and  consented  to  go  out 
themselves  and  persuade  Philip  to  come  in  and 
confer  in  a  friendly  manner  upon  the  adjust- 
ment of  their  affairs. 

Philip  received  the  Massachusetts  men  with 
reserve,  but  with  much  courtesy.  At  first  he 
refused  to  advance  any  farther,  but  declared 
that  those  who  wished  to  confer  with  him  must 
come  where  he  was.  At  length,  however,  he 
consented  to  refer  the  difficulties  which  existed 
between  him  and  the  Plymouth  colony  to  the 
Massachusetts  commissioners,  and  to  hold  the 


1671.]     KING   PHILIP'S  REIGN.         179 

Equitable  arrangements.        Philip's  adroitness.        Charge  for  charge. 

conference  in  the  Taunton  meeting-house.  But, 
that  he  migiit  meet  his  accusers  upon  the  basis 
of  perfect  equality,  he  demanded  that  one  half 
of  the  meeting-house  should  be  appropriated  sa- 
credly to  himself  and  his  followers,  while  the 
Plymouth  people,  his  accusers,  should  occupy 
the  other  half.  The  Massachusetts  commis- 
sioners, three  gentlemen,  were  to  sit  alone  as 
umpires.  We  can  not  but  admire  the  charac- 
ter developed  by  Philip  in  these  arrangements. 
Philip  managed  his  cause,  which  was  mani- 
festly a  bad  one,  with  great  adroitness.  Tal- 
leyrand and  Metternich  would  have  given  him 
a  high  position  among  European  diplomatists. 
He  could  not  deny  that  he  was  making  great 
military  preparations,  but  he  declared  that  this 
was  only  in  anticipation  of  an  attack  from  the 
Narraganset  Indians.  But  it  was  proved  that 
At  that  moment  he  was  on  terms  of  more  inti- 
mate friendship  with  the  Narragarisets  than 
ever  before.  He  also  brought  charge  for  charge 
against  the  English  ;  and  it  can  not  be  doubted 
that  he  and  his  people  had  suffered  much  from 
the  arrogance  of  individuals  of  the  domineer- 
ing race.  Philip  has  had  no  one  to  tell  his 
story,  and  we  have  received  the  narrative  only 
from  the  pens  of  his  foes.  They  tell  us  that 


180  KING   PHILIP.  [1671. 

Kitstilt  of  the  conference.  Extraordinary  pledge. 

he  was  at  length  confounded,  and  made  full  con- 
fession of  his  hostile  designs,  and  expressed  re- 
gret for  them. 

As  a  result  of  the  conference,  all  past  griev- 
ances were  to  be  buried  in  oblivion,  and  a  treaty 
was  entered  into  in  which  mutual  friendship 
was  pledged,  and  in  which  Philip  consented  to 
the  extraordinary  measure  of  disarming  his 
people,  and  of  surrendering  their  guns  to  the 
governor  of  Plymouth,  to  be  retained  by  him 
so  long  as  he  should  distrust  the  sincerity  of 
their  friendship.  Philip  and  his  warriors  im- 
mediately gave  up  their  guns,  seventy  in  num- 
ber, and  promised  to  send  in  the  rest  within  a 
given  time. 

It  is  difficult  to  conceive  how  the  Indians 
could  have  understandingly,  and  in  good  faith, 
have  made  such  a  treaty.  The  English  had  now 
been  fifty  years  in  the  country.  The  Indians 
had  become  familiar  with  the  use  of  guns. 
Bows  and  arrows  had  long  since  been  laid  aside. 
As  game  was  with  them  an  important  element 
of  food,  the  loss  of  their  guns  was  apparently  a 
very  serious  calamity.  It  is  not  improbable 
that  the  English  magistrates  humanely  hoped, 
.by  taking  away  the  guns  of  the  Indians,  to  lead 
them  from  the  precarious  and  vagabond  life  of 


1671. J     KING  PHILIP'S  REIGN.         181 

Desires  in  regard  to  the  Indian-.  Uselessness  of  Indian  treaties. 

hunters  to  the  more  refining  influences  of  agri- 
culture. But  it  is  very  certain  that  the  Indians 
cherished  no  such  views.  It  was  also  agreed 
in  the  council  that,  in  case  of  future  troubles, 
both  parties  should  submit  their  complaints  to 
the  arbitration  of  Massachusetts. 

This  settlement,  apparently  so  important, 
amounted  to  nothing.  The  Indians  were  ever 
ready,  it  is  said,  to  sign  any  agreement  what- 
ever which  would  extricate  them  from  a  mo- 
mentary difficulty ;  but  such  promises  were 
broken  as  promptly  as  they  were  made.  Philip, 
having  returned  to  Mount  Hope,  sent  in  no  more 
guns,  but  was  busy  as  ever  gaining  resources 
for  war,  and  entering  into  alliances  with  other 
tribes.  Philip  denied  this,  but  the  people  of 
Plymouth  thought  that  they  had  ample  evi- 
dence that  such  was  the  case. 

The  summer  thus  passed  away,  while  the  as- 
pect of  affairs  was  daily  growing  more  threat- 
ening. As  Philip  did  not  send  in  his  guns  ac- 
cording to  agreement,  and  as  there  was  evidence, 
apparently  conclusive,  of  his  hostile  intentions, 
the  Plymouth  government,  late  in  August,  sent 
another  summons,  ordering  the  Wampanoag  sov- 
ereign to  appear  before  them  on  the  13th  of 
September,  and  threatening,  in  case  he  did  not 


182  KING   PHILIP.  [1671. 

The  English  violate  their  pledge.  Philip  for  "  law  and  order." 

comply  with  this  summons,  to  send  out  a  force 
to  reduce  him  to  subjection.  At  the  same  time, 
they  sent  communications  to  the  colonies  of 
Massachusetts  and  Rhode  Island,  stating  their 
complaints  against  Philip,  and'  soliciting  their 
aid  in  the  war  which  they  thought  evidently 
approaching. 

In  thib  movement  Philip  gained  a  manifest 
advantage  over  the  Plymouth  colonists.  It  will 
be  remembered  that,  according  to  the  terms  of 
the  treaty,  all  future  difficulties  were  to  be  re- 
ferred to  the  arbitration  of  Massachusetts  as  an 
impartial  umpire.  But  Plymouth  had  now,  in 
violation  of  these  terms,  imperiously  summoned 
the  Indian  chieftain,  as  if  he  were  their  subject, 
to  appear  before  their  courts.  Philip,  instead 
of  paying  any  regard  to  this  arrogant  order,  im- 
mediately repaired  to  Boston  with  his  council- 
ors, and  thus  manifestly  placed  himself  in  the 
position  of  the  "  law  and  order"  party.  It  so 
happened  that  he  arrived  in  Boston  on  the  very 
day  in  which  the  Governor  of  Massachusetts  re- 
ceived the  letter  from  the  Plymouth  colony. 
The  representations  which  Philip  made  seemed 
to  carry  conviction  to  the  impartial  umpires  of 
Massachusetts  that  he  was  not  severely  to  be 
censured.  They  accordingly  wrote  a  letter  to 


1671.]     KING  PHILIP'S  REIGN.          183 

Decision  of  the  referee.  A  general  council.  Complaint?. 

Plymouth,  assuming  that  there  was  perhaps 
equal  blame  on  both  sides,  and  declaring  that 
there  did  not  appear  to  be  sufficient  cause  for 
the  Plymouth  people  to  commence  hostilities. 
In  their  letter  they  write : 

"  We  do  not  understand  how  Philip  hath 
subjected  himself  to  you.  But  the  treatment 
you  have  given  him,  and  your  proceedings  to- 
ward him,  do  not  render  him  such  a  subject  as 
that,  if  there  be  not  a  present  answering  to  sum- 
mons, there  should  presently  be  a  proceeding  to 
hostilities.  The  sword  once  drawn  and  dipped 
in  blood,  may  make  him  as  independent  upon 
you  as  you  are  upon  him." 

Arrangements  were  now  made  for  a  general 
council  from  the  united  colonies  to  assemble  at 
Plymouth  on  the  24th  of  September.  King 
Philip  agreed  to  meet  this  council  in  a  new  at- 
tempt to  adjust  all  their  difficulties.  At  the 
appointed  time  the  assembly  was  convened. 
King  Philip  was  present,  with  a  retinue  of  war- 
riors, all  decorated  in  the  highest  style  of  bar- 
baric splendor.  Bitter  complaints  were  entered 
upon  both  sides,  and  neither  party  were  dis- 
posed to  draw  any  very'  marked  line  of  distinc- 
tion between  individual  acts  of  outrage  and  the 
measures  for  which  the  two  governments  were 


184  KTNG   PHILIP.  [1671. 

A  new  treaty.  Philip  desires  peace.  Rumors  of  trouble. 

responsible.  Another  treaty  was,  however, 
made,  similar  to  the  Taunton  treaty,  and  the 
two  parties  again  separated  with  protestations 
of  friendship,  but  quite  hostile  as  ever  at  heart. 
The  colonists  were,  however,  all  anxious  to 
avoid  a  war,  as  they  had  every  thing  to  lose  by 
it  and  nothing  to  gain.  Philip,  on  the  contra- 
ry, deemed  the  salvation  of  the  Indians  was  de- 
pending upon  the  extermination  of  the  colo- 
nists. He  was  well  aware  that  he  was  quite 
unprepared  for  immediate  hostilities,  and  that 
lie  had  much  to  do  in  the  way  of  preparation 
before  he  could  hope  successfully  to  encounter 
foes  so  formidable  as  the  English  had  now  be- 
come. 

Three  years  now  passed  away  of  reserved  in- 
tercourse and  suspicious  peace.  The  colonists 
were  continually  hearing  rumors  from  distant 
tribes  of  Philip's  endeavors,  and  generally  suc- 
cessful endeavors,  to  draw  them  into  a  coalition. 
The  conspiracy,  so  far  as  it  could  be  ascertain- 
ed, included  nearly  all  the  tribes  of  New  En- 
gland, and  extended  into  the  interior  of  New 
York,  and  along  the  coast  to  Virginia.  The 
Narragansets  agreed  to  furnish  four  thousand 
warriors.  Other  tribes,  according  to  their  pow- 
er, were  to  furnish  their  hundreds  or  their  thou- 


1674.]     KING   PHILIP'S   REIGN. 

The  cloud  of  terror.        .  Independence  of  Philip. 

sands.  Hostilities  were  to  be  commenced  in 
the  spring  of  1676  by  a  simultaneous  assault 
upon  all  the  settlements,  so  that  none  of  the 
English  could  go  from  one  portion  of  the  coun- 
try to  aid  another. 

The  English,  month  after  month,  saw  this 
cloud  of  terror  increasing  in  blackness ;  yet 
measures  were  so  adroitly  adopted  by  King 
Philip  that,  while  the  air  was  filled  with  ru- 
mors, it  was  difficult  to  obtain  any  positive  proof, 
and  still  more  difficult  to  decide  what  course  to 
pursue  to  avert  the  calamity.  As  these  deep- 
laid  plans  of  the  shrewd  Wampanoag  chieftain 
were  approaching  maturity,  Philip  became  more 
independent  and  bold  in  his  demeanor.  The 
Massachusetts  colonists  now  began  to  feel  that 
the  danger  was  indeed  imminent,  and  that  their 
Plymouth  brethren  had  more  cause  for  com- 
plaint than  they  had  supposed.  The  evidence 
became  so  convincing  that  this  dreadful  conspir- 
acy was  in  progress,  that  the  Governor  of  Mas- 
sachusetts sent  an  embassador  to  Philip,  de- 
manding an  explanation  of  these  threatening 
appearances,  and  soliciting  another  treaty  of 
peace  and  friendship.  The  proud  sachem 
haughtily  replied  to  the  embassador, 

"Your  governor  is  but  a  subject  of  King 


186  KING   PHILIP.  [1674. 

The  close  of  the  year  1674. 

Charles  of  England.  I  shall  not  treat  with  a 
subject.  I  shall  only  treat  with  the  king,  my 
brother.  When  he  comes,  I  am  ready." 

Sucli  was  the  alarming  aspect  of  affairs  at 
the  close  of  the  year  1674. 


1675.]  HOSTILITIES   COMMENCED.      187 

I'.nthusiusm  of  the  yourg  Indians.  John  Sassamoc. 


CHAPTER  VI. 
COMMENCEMENT  OF   HOSTILITIES. 

THE  old  warriors,  conscious  of  the  power  of 
the  foe  whose  fury  they  were  about  to 
brave,  were  not  at  all  disposed  to  precipitate 
hostilities,  but  Philip  found  it  difficult  to  hold 
his  young  men  under  restraint.  They  became 
very  insolent  and  boastful,  and  would  sharpen 
their  knives  and  tomahawks  upon  the  door-sills 
of  the  colonists,  vaporing  in  mysterious  phrase 
of  the  great  deeds  they  were  about  to  perform. 
There  was  at  this  time  a  Christian  Indian  by 
the  name  of  John  Sassamon,  who  had  learned 
to  read  and  write,  and  had  become  quite  an  ef- 
ficient agent  in  Christian  missions  to  the  In- 
dians. He  was  esteemed  by  the  English  as 
truly  a  pious  man,  and  had  been  employed  in 
aiding  to  translate  the  Bible  into  the  Indian 
language,  and  also  in  preaching  to  his  country- 
men at  Nemasket,  now  Middleborough.  He 
lived  in  semi-civilized  style  upon  Assawompset 
Neck.  He  had  a  very  pretty  daughter,  whom 
lie  called  Assowetough,  but  whose  sonorous 
name  the  young  Puritans  did  not  improve  by 


188  KING  PHILIP.  [1675. 

Betty's  Neck.  Private  secretary  of  Philip.  The  conspiracy. 

changing  it  into  Betty.  The  noted  place  in 
Middleborough  now  called  Betty's  Neck  is  im- 
mortalized by  the  charms  of  Assowetough. 
This  Indian  maiden  married  a  warrior  of  her 
tribe,  who  was  also  in  the  employment  of  the 
English,  and  in  all  his  interests  had  become 
identified  with  them.  Sassamon  was  a  subject 
of  King  Philip,  but  he  and  his  family  were  on 
the  most  intimate  and  friendly  relations  with 
the  colonists. 

Philip  needed  a  private  secretary  who  could 
draw  up  his  deeds  and  write  his  letters.  He 
accordingly  took  John  Sassamon  into  his  em- 
ployment. Sassamon,  thus  introduced  into  the 
court  and  the  cabinet  of  his  sovereign,  soon  be- 
came acquainted  with  the  conspiracy  in  all  its 
appalling  extent  and  magnitude  of  design.  He 
at  once  repaired  to  Plymouth,  and  communicated 
his  discovery  to  the  governor.  He,  however, 
enjoined  the  strictest  secrecy  respecting  his 
communication,  assuring  the  governor  that, 
should  the  Indians  learn  that  he  had  betrayed 
them,  his  life  would  be  the  inevitable  forfeit. 
There  were  many  who  had  no  faith  in  any  con- 
spiracy of  the  kind.  Rumors  of  approaching 
perils  had  been  rife  for  many  years,  and  the 
community  had  become  accustomed  to  them. 


1(>75.]  HOSTILITIES   COMMENCED.      189 

Incredulity  of  the  English.  Sassamon  to  be  murdered. 

Most  of  the  Massachusetts  colonists  thought 
the  Plymouth  people  unnecessarily  alarmed. 
They  listened  to  the  story  of  Sassamon  vvitli 
great  incredulity.  "His  information," says  Dr. 
I.  Mather,  "  because  it  had  an  Indian  original, 
and  one  can  hardly  believe  them  when  they  do 
.:peak  the  truth,  was  not  at  first  much  re- 
garded." 

Sassamon  soon  after  resigned  his  situation  as 
Philip's  secretary,  and  returned  to  Middlebor- 
ough,  where  he  resumed  his  employment  as  a 
preacher  to  the  Indians  and  teacher  of  a  school. 

By  some  unknown  means  Philip  ascertained 
that  he  had  been  betrayed  by  Sassamon.  Ac- 
cording to  the  Indian  code,  the  offender  was 
deemed  a  traitor  and  a  renegade,  and  was  doom- 
ed to  death  ;  and  it  was  the  duty  of  every  sub- 
ject of  King  Philip  to  kill  him  whenever  and 
wherever  he  could  be  found.  But  Sassamon 
had  been  so  much  with  the  English,  and  had 
been  for  years  so  intimately  connected  with 
them  as  their  friend  and  agent,  that  it  was 
feared  that  they  would  espouse  his  cause,  and 
endeavor  to  avenge  his  death.  '  It  was,  there- 
fore, thought  best  that  Indian  justice  should  be 
secretly  executed. 

Early  in  the  spring  of  1675  Sassamon  was 


190  KING  PHILIP.  [1675. 

Death  of  Sassamon.  Indians  arrested.  Proof  of  the  murder. 

suddenly  missing.  At  length  bis  hat  and  gun 
were  found  upon  the  ice  of  Assawompset  Pond, 
near  a  hole.  Soon  after  his  body  was  found 
beneath  the  ice.  There  had  been  an  evident 
endeavor  to  leave  the  impression  that  he  had 
committed  suicide ;  but  wounds  upon  his  body 
conclusively  showed  that  he  had  been  murder- 
ed. The  English  promptly  decided  that  this 
was  a  crime  which  came  under  the  cognizance 
of  their  laws.  Three  Indians  were  arrested  un- 
der suspicion  of  being  his  murderers.  These 
Indians  were  all  men  of  note,  connected  with 
the  council  of  Philip.  An  Indian  testified  that 
he  happened  to  be  upon  a  distant  hill,  and  saw 
the  murder  committed.  For  some  time  he  had 
concealed  the  knowledge  thus  obtained,  but  at 
length  was  induced  to  disclose  the  crime.  The 
evidence  against  Tobias,  one  of  the  three,  is 
thus  stated  by  Dr.  Increase  Mather : 

"  When  Tobias  came  near  the  dead  body,  it 
fell  a  bleeding  on  fresh,  as  if  it  had  been  newly 
slain,  albeit  it  was  buried  a  considerable  time 
before  that."  In  those  days  of  darkness  it  was 
supposed  that  the  body  of  a  murdered  man 
would  bleed  on  the  approach  of  his  murderer. 

The  prisoners  were  tried  at  Plymouth  in 
June,  and  were  all  adjudged  guilty,  and  sen- 


1675.]  HOSTILITIES   COMMENCED.      191 

Execution  of  the  Indians.  Superstitious  notions. 

tenced  to  death.  The  jury  consisted  of  twelve 
Englishmen  and  four  Indians.  The  condemn- 
ed were  all  executed,  two  of  them  contending 
to  the  last  that  they  were  entirely  innocent,  and 
knew  nothing  of  the  deed.  One  of  them,  it  is 
said,  when  upon  the  point  of  death,  confessed 
that  he  was  a  spectator  of  the  murder,  which 
was  committed  by  the  other  two. 

This  summary  execution  of  three  of  Philip's 
subjects  enraged  and  alarmed  the  Wampanoags 
exceedingly.  As  the  death  of  Sassamon  had 
been  undeniably  ordered  by  Philip,  he  was  ap-' 
prehensive  that  he  also  might  be  kidnapped  and 
hung.  The  young  Wampanoag  warriors  were 
roused  to  phrensy,  and  immediately  commenced 
a  series  of  the  most  intolerable  annoyances, 
shooting  the  cattle,  frightening  the  women  and 
children,  and  insulting  wayfarers  wherever  they 
could  find  them.  The  Indians  had  imbibed 
the  superstitious  notion,  which  had  probably 
been  taught  them  by  John  Sassamon,  that  the 
party  which  should  commence  the  war  and  shed 
the  first  blood  would  be  defeated.  They  there- 
fore wished,  by  violence  and  insult,  to  provoke 
the  English  to  strike  the  first  blow.  The  En- 
glish established  a  military  watch  in  every 
town ;  but,  hoping  that  the  threatening  storm 


192  KING  PHILIP.  [1675. 

Insolence  of  the  Indians.  They  capture  a  settler. 

might  blow  over,  they  endured  all  these  out- 
rages with  commendable  patience. 

On  the  20th  of  June,  eight  Indian  despera- 
does, all  armed  for  fight,  came  swaggering  into 
the  town  of  Swanzey,  and,  calling  at  the  door 
of  a  colonist,  demanded  permission  to  grind 
their  hatchets.  As  it  was  the  Lord's  day,  the 
colonist  informed  them  that  it  would  be  a  vio- 
lation of  the  Sabbath  for  them  to  do  such  work, 
and  that  God  would  be  displeased.  They  re- 
plied, "  We  care  neither  for  your  God  nor  for 
'you,  but  we  will  grind  our  hatchets."  They 
then  went  to  another  house,  and,  with  insulting- 
carousals,  ransacked  the  closets,  helping  them- 
selves abundantly  to  food.  The  .barbarian  rois- 
terers then  proceeded  blustering  along  the  road, 
when  they  chanced  to  meet  a  colonist.  They 
immediately  took  him  into  custody,  kept,  him 
for  some  time,  loading  him  with  taunts  and  .rid- 
icule, and  then  dismissed  him,  derisively  telling 
him  to  be  a  good  man,  and  npt  to  tell  any  lies 
or  work  on  the  Lord's  day. 

Growing  bolder  and  more  insolent  as  they 
advanced,  they  began  to  shoot  the  cattle  which 
they  saw  in  the  fields.  They  encountered  no 
opposition,  for  the  houses  were  at  some  distance 
from  each  other,  and  most  of  the  men  were  ab- 


1675.]  HOSTILITIES  COMMENCED.       193 

The  first  blood.  Day  of  fasting.  Letter  of  Governor  Winslow. 

sent  at  public  worship.  At  last  they  came  to 
a  house  where  the  man  chanced  to  be  at  home. 
They  shot  his  cattle,  and  then  entered  the  house 
and  demanded  liquor.  Being  refused,  they  be- 
came very  boisterous  in  threats,  and  attempted 
to  get  the  liquor  by  violence.  The  man  at  last, 
provoked  beyond  endurance,  seized  his  gun  and 
shot  one  of  them,  inflicting  a  serious  but  not 
mortal  wound.  The  first  blood  was  now  shed, 
and  the  drama  of  war  was  opened.  The  young 
savages  retired,  bearing  their  wounded  compan- 
ion with  them,  and  breathing  threatenings  and 
slaughter. 

The  next  Thursday,  June  24th,  had  been  set 
apart  by  the  colonists  as  a  day  of  fasting,  hu- 
miliation, and  prayer,  in  view  of  the  alarming 
state  of  affairs.  Upon  an  impartial  review  of 
all  the  transactions,  it  is  difficult  to  see  how  the 
colonists  could  have  avoided  the  war. 

"  I  do  solemnly  protest,"  says  Governor  Wins- 
low,  in  a  letter  written  July  4th,  1675,  "we 
know  not  any  thing  from  us  which  might  have 
put  Philip  upon  these  motions,  nor  have  heard 
that  he  pretends  to  have  suffered  any  wrong 
from  us,  save  only  that  we  had  killed  some  In- 
dians, and  intended  to  send  for  himself  for  the 
murder  of  John  Sassarnon." 

2—13 


194  KING   PHILIP.  [1675. 

Murders  by  the  Indians.  Flight  of  the  coluiiii-li. 

As  the  people  in  Swanzey  were  returning 
from  church  on  fast-day,  a  party  of  Indians, 
concealed  in  a  thicket  by  the  road  side,  fired 
upon  them,  killing  one  instantly,  and  severely 
wounding  many  others.  Two  men  who  set  off 
in  haste  for  a  surgeon  were  waylaid  and  mur- 
dered. At  the  same  time,  in  another  part  of 
the  town,  a  house  was  surrounded  by  a  band  of 
Indians,  and  eight  more  of  the  colonists  were 
shot.  These  awful  tidings  spread  rapidly,  caus- 
ing indescribable  alarm.  One  man,  afraid  to 
remain  in  his  unprotected  dwelling,  hastily  sent 
his  wife  arid  only  son  to  the  house  of  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Miles,  which  was  fortified,  and  could  be  gar- 
risoned. He  remained  a  few  moments  behind 
to  take  some  needful  things.  The  wife  had 
gone  but  a  short  distance  when  she  heard  be- 
hind her  the  report  of  a  gun.  True  to  .woman's 
heroic  love,  she  instantly  returned  to  learn  the 
fate  of  her  husband. 

He  was  lying  in  his  blood  on  the  threshold 
of  his  door,  and  the  savages  were  ransacking 
the  house.  The  wretches  caught  sight  of  her, 
pursued  her,  killed  both  her  and  her  son,  and 
took  their  scalps.  In  this  terrible  state  of 
alarm,  the  scattered  and  helpless  colonists  fled 
with  their  families,  as  rapidly  as  they  could,  to 


1675.]  HOSTILITIES  COMMENCED.      195 

Energy  of  i  hiiip.  Assistance  implon.d.  Flight  cf  Philip. 

tke  garrison  house.  Two  men  went  from  the 
house  to  the  well  for  water.  They  fell,  pierced 
by  bullets.  The  savages  rushed  from  their 
concealment,  seized  the  two  still  quivering  bod- 
ies, and  dragged  them  into  the  forest.  They 
were  afterward  found  scalped,  and  with  their 
hands  and  feet  cut  off.  Such  were  the  opening 
acts  of  the  tragedy  of  blood  and  woe. 

With  amazing  energy  and  with  great  strate- 
getic  skill,  the  warriors  of  Philip,  guided  by  his 
sagacity,  plied  their  work  of  destruction.  It 
was  their  sole,  emphatic  mission  to  kill,  burn, 
and  destroy.  The  savages,  flushed  with  suc- 
cess, were  skulking  every  where.  No  one  could 
venture  abroad  without  danger  of  being  shot. 
Runners  were  immediately  sent,  in  consterna- 
tion, from  all  the  frontier  towns,  to  Plymouth 
and  Boston,  to  implore  assistance.  In  three 
hours  after  the  arrival  of  the  messenger  in  Bos- 
ton, one  hundred  and  twenty  men  were  on  the 
march  to  attack  Philip  at  Mount  Hope.  But 
the  renowned  chieftain  was  too  wary  to  be 
caught  in  the  trap  of  Mount  Hope  Neck.  He 
had  sent  his  women  and  children  to  the  hospi- 
tality of  distant  tribes,  and,  abandoning  the 
Neck,  which  was  nearly  surrounded  by  water, 
traversed  with  his  warriors  the  country,  where 


196  KING  PHILIP.  [1675. 

March  of  the  army.  The  Soykonate  fcibe. 

he  could  at  any  time  plunge  into  the  almost 
limitless  wilderness. 

The  little  army  from  Massachusetts  moved 
promptly  forward,  pressing  into  its  service  all 
the  available  men  to  be  found  by  the  way. 
They  marched  to  Swanzey,  and  established 
their  head-quarters  at  the  garrison  house  of  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Miles,  a  Baptist  clergyman  of  exalted 
character  and  of  fervent  piety,  who  was  ready 
to  share  with  his  parishioners  in  all  the  perils 
of  protecting  themselves  from  the  border  ruffians 
of  that  day.  About  a  dozen  of  the  troops,  on  a 
reconnoitring  party,  crossed  the  bridge  near  the 
garrison  house.  They  were  h'red  upon  from  an 
ambush,  and  one  killed  and  one  wounded.  The 
Indians  fled,  hotly  pursued  by  the  English, 
and  took  refuge  in  a  swamp,  after  having  lost 
sixteen  of  their  number. 

Upon  the  eastern  shore  of  Narraganset  Bay, 
in  the  region  now  occupied  by  Little  Compton 
and  a  part  of  Tiverton,  there  was  a  small  tribe 
of  Indians  in  partial  subjection  to  the  Narra- 
gansets,  and  called  the  Soykonate  tribe.  Here 
also  a  woman,  Awashonks,  was  sachem  of  the 
tribe,  and  the  bravest  warriors  were  prompt  to 
do  homage  to  her  power.  Captain  Benjamin 
Church  and  a  few  other  colonists  had  purchased 


1675.]  HOSTILITIES   COMMENCED.      197 

Awashonks.  Captain  Church.  The  embassadors  of  Philip. 

lands  of  her.  and  had  settled  upon  fertile  spots 
along  the  shores  of  the  bay.  Awashonks  was 
on  very  friendly  terms  with  Captain  Church. 
Though  there  were  three  hundred  warriors  obe- 
dient to  her  command,  that  was  but  a  feeble 
force  compared  with  the  troops  which  could  be 
raised  both  by  Philip  and  by  the  English. 
She  was  therefore  anxious  to  remain  neutral. 
This,  however,  could  not  be.  The  war  was 
such  that  all  dwelling  in  the  midst  of  its  rav- 
ages must  choose  their  side. 

Philip  sent  six  embassadors  to  engage 
Awashonks  in  his  interest.  She  immediately 
assembled  all  her  counselors  to  deliberate  upon 
the  momentous  question,  and  also  took  the  very 
wise  precaution  to  send  for  Captain  Church. 
He  hastened  to  her  residence,  and  found  sev- 
eral hundred  of  her  subjects  collected  and  en- 
gaged in  a  furious  dance.  The  forest  rang  with 
their  shouts,  the  perspiration  dripped  from  their 
limbs,  and  they  were  already  wrought  to  a  pitch 
of  intense  excitement.  Awashonks  herself  led 
in  the  dance,  and  her  graceful  figure  appeared 
to  great  advantage  as  it  was  contrasted  with 
the  gigantic  muscular  development  of  her  war- 
riors. 

Immediately  upon  Captain  Church's  arrival 


198  KING  PHILIP.  [1675. 

The  council.  Appearance  of  the  embassadors. 

the  dance  ceased.  Awashonks  sat  down,  called 
her  chiefs  and  the  Wampanoag  embassadors 
around  her,  and  then  invited  Captain  Church  to 
take  a  conspicuous  seat  in  the  midst  of  the 
group.  She  then,  in  a  speech  of  queenly  cour- 
tesy, informed  Captain  Church  that  King  Philip 
had  sent  six  of  his  men  to  solicit  her  to  enter 
into  a  confederacy  against  the  English,  and  that 
he  stated,  through  these  embassadors,  that  the 
English  had  raised  a  great  army,  and  were  about 
to  invade  his  territories  for  the  extermination 
of  the  Wampanoags.  The  conference  was  long 
and  intensely  exciting.  Awashonks  called  upon 
the  Wampanoag  embassadors  to  come  forward. 

They  were  marked  men,  dressed  in  the  high- 
est embellishments  of  barbaric  warfare.  Their 
faces  were  painted.  Their  hair  was  trimmed 
in  the  fashion  of  the  crests  of  the  ancient  hel- 
mets. Their  knives  and  tomahawks  we're  sharp 
and  glittering.  They  all  had  guns,  and  horns 
and  pouches  abundantly  supplied  with  shot 
and  bullets. 

Captain  Church,  however,  was  manifestly 
gaining  the  advantage,  and  the  Wampanoag 
embassadors,  baffled  and  enraged,  were  anx- 
ious to  silence  their  antagonist  with  the  blud- 
geon. The  Indians  began  to  take  sides  fu- 


1675.J  HOSTILITIES   COMMENCED. 

Exciting  conference.  Rage  of  Captain  Church. 

riously,  and  hot  words  and  threatening  ges- 
tures were  abundant.  Awashonks  was  very 
evidently  inclined  to  adhere  to  the  English. 
She  at  last,  in  the  face  of  the  embassadors,  de- 
clared to  Captain  Church  that  Philip's  message 
to  her  was  that  he  would  send  his  men  over 
privately  to  shoot  the  cattle  and  burn  the 
houses  of  the  English  who  were  within  her  ter- 
ritories, and  thus  induce  the  English  to  fall  in 
vengeance  upon  her,  whom  they  would  undoubt- 
edly suppose  to  be  the  author  of  the  mischief. 
This  so  enraged  Captain  Church  that  he  quite 
forgot  his  customary  prudence.  Turning  to 
the  Wampanoag  embassadors,  he  exclaimed, 

"  You  are  infamous  wretches,  thirsting  for 
the  blood  of  your  English  neighbors,  who  have 
never  injured  you,  but  who,  on  the  contrary, 
have  always  treated  you  with  kindness." 

Then,  addressing  Awashonks,  he  very  incon- 
siderately advised  her  to  knock  the  six  Wam- 
panoags  on  the  head,  and  then  throw  herself  upon 
the  protection  of  the  English.  The  Indian 
qneen,  more  discreet  than  her  adviser,  dismiss- 
ed the  embassadors  unharmed,  but  informing 
them  that  she  should  look  to  the  English  as  her 
friends  and  protectors. 

Captain  Church,  exulting  in  this    success. 


200  KING  PHILIP.  [1675. 

Awashonks  to  remain  friendly.  The  Pocasset  tribe. 

which  took  three  hundred  warriors  from  the  en- 
emy and  added  them  to  the  English  force,  set 
out  for  Plymouth.  At  parting,  he  advised 
Awashonks  to  remain  faithful  to  the  English 
whatever  might  happen,  and  to  keep,  with  all 
her  warriors,  within  the  limits  of  Soykonate. 
He  promised  to  return  to  her  again  in  a  fe\y 
days. 

Just  north  of  Little  Compton,  in  the  region 
now  occupied  by  the  upper  part  of  Tiverton, 
and  by  Fall  River,  the  Pocasset  tribe  of  In- 
dians dwelt.  Wetamoo,  the  former  bride  of 
Alexander,  was  a  princess  of  this  tribe.  Upon 
the  death  of  her  husband  and  the  accession  of 
Philip  to  the  sovereignty  of  the  Wampanoags, 
.she  had  returned  to  her  parental  home,  and  was 
now  queen  of  the  tribe.  Her  power  was  about 
equal  to  that  of  Awashonks,  and  she  could  lead 
three  or  four  hundred  warriors  into  the  field. 
Captain  Church  immediately  proceeded  to  her 
court,  as  he  deemed  it  exceedingly  important  to 
detach  her,  if  possible,  from  the  coalition. 

He  found  her  upon  a  high  hill  at  a  short  dis- 
tance from  the  shore.  But  few  of  her  people 
were  with  her,  and  she  appeared  reserved  and 
very  melancholy.  She  acknowledged  that  all 
her  warriors  had  gone  across  the  water  to  Phil- 


1075.]  HOSTILITIES  COMMENCED.      201 

"VVetamoo  joins  Philip.  Indian  warfare. 

ip's  war-dance,  though  she  said  that  it  was 
against  her  will.  She  was,  however,  brooding 
over  her  past  injuries,  and  was  eager  to  join 
Philip  in  any  measures  of  revenge.  Captain 
Church  had  hardly  arrived  at  Plymouth  before 
the  wonderful  successes  of  Philip  so  encouraged 
the  Indians  that  Wetamoo,  with  alacrity  and 
burning  zeal,  joined  the  coalition ;  and  even  Awa- 
shonks  could  not  resist  the  inclinations  of  her 
warriors,  but  was  also,  with  reluctance,  com- 
pelled to  unite  with  Philip. 

War  was  now  raging  in  all  its  horrors.  A 
more  harassing  and  merciless  conflict  can  hard- 
ly be  imagined.  The  Indians  seldom  presented 
themselves  in  large  numbers,  never  gathered  for 
a  decisive  action,  but,  dividing  into  innumera- 
ble prowling  bands,  attacked  the  lonely  farm- 
house, the  small  and  distant  settlements,  and 
often,  in  terrific  midnight  onset,  plunged,  with 
musket,  torch,  and  tomahawk,  into  the  large 
towns.  These  bands  varied  in  their  numbers 
from  twenty  to  thirty  to  two  or  three  thousand. 
The  colonists  were  very  much  scattered  in  iso- 
lated farm-houses  through  the  wilderness.  In 
consequence  of  the  gigantic  growth  of  trees, 
which  it  was  a  great  labor  to  cut  down,  and 
which,  when  felled,  left  the  ground  encumbered 


202  KING   PHILIP.  [1675. 

The  colonists  mnch  scattered.  An  illustration. 

for  years  with  enormous  stumps  and  roots,  the 
colonists  were  eager  to  rind  any  smooth  meadow 
or  natural  opening  in  the  forest  where,  for  any 
unknown  cause,  the  trees  had  disappeared,  and 
where  the  thick  turf  alone  opposed  the  hoe. 
They  often  had  neither  oxen  nor  plows.  Thus 
these  widely-scattered  spots  upon  the  hill-sides 
and  the  margins  of  distant  streams  were  eager- 
ly sought  for,  and  thus  these  lonely  settlers 
were  exposed,  utterly  defenseless,  to  the  savage 
foe. 

The  following  scene,  which  occurred  in  a  re- 
mote section  of  the  country  at  a  later  period, 
will  illustrate  the  horrible  nature  of  this  Indian 
warfare.  Far  away  in  the  wilderness,  a  man 
had  erected  his  log  hut  upon  a  small  meadow, 
which  had  opened  itself  in  the  midst  of  a  gi- 
gantic forest.  The  man's  family  consisted  of 
himself,  his  wife,  and  several  children,  the  eldest 
of  whom  was  a  daughter  fifteen  years  of  age. 
At  midnight,  the  loud  barking  of  his  dog  alarm- 
ed him.  He  stepped  to  the  door  to  see  what 
he  could  discover,  and  instantly  there  was  a  re- 
port of  several  muskets,  and  he  fell  upon  the 
floor  of  his  hut  pierced  with  bullets,  and  with  a 
broken  leg  and  arm.  The  Indians,  surrounding 
the  house,  now  with  frightful  yells  rushed  to  the 


1675.]  HOSTILITIES  COMMENCED.      203 

Jtoroic  woman.  Dispatching  the  Indiana 

<loor.  The  mother,  frantic  with  terror,  her  chil- 
dren screaming  around  her,  and  her  husband 
groaning  and  weltering  in  his  blood,  barred  the 
door  and  seized  an  axe.  The  savages,  with  their 
hatchets,  soon  cut  a  hole  through  the  door,  and 
one  of  them  crowded  in.  The  heroic  mother, 
witli  one  blow  of  the  axe,  cleft  his  head  to  the 
shoulder,  and  he  dropped  dead  upon  the  floor. 
Another  of  the  assailants,  supposing,  in  the  dark- 
ness, that  he  had  made  good  his  entrance,  fol- 
lowed him.  He  also  fell  by  another  well-direct- 
ed stroke.  Thus  four  were  slain  before  the  In- 
dians discovered  their  mistake. 

They  then  clambered  upon  the  house,  and 
were  soon  heard  descending  through  the  capa- 
cious flue  of  the  chimney.  The  wife  still  stood 
with  the  axe  to  guard  the  door.  Tiie  father, 
bleeding  and  fainting,  called  upon  one  of  the 
little  children  to  roll  the  feather  bed  upon  the 
fire.  The  burning  feathers  emitted  such  a  suf- 
focating smoke  and  smell  that  the  Indians  were 
almost  smothered,  and  they  tumbled  down  upon 
the  embers.  At  the  same  moment,  another  one 
attempted  to  enter  the  door.  The  wounded 
husband  and  father  had  sufficient  strength  left 
to  seize  a  billet  of  wood  and  dispatch  the  half- 
smothered  Indians.  But  the  mother  was  now 


204  KING   PHILIP.  [1675. 

Succor  ar  ives.  Defiance  of  the  Knglish. 

so  exhausted  with  terror  and  fatigue  that  her 
strength  failed  her,  and  she  struck  a  feeble  blow, 
which  wounded,  but  did  not  kill  her  adversary. 
The  savage  was  so  severely  wounded,  however, 
that  he  retreated,  leaving  all  his  comrades,  six 
in  number,  dead  in  the  house.  We  are  not  in- 
formed whether  the  father  recovered  of  his 
wounds.  Some  distant  neighbors,  receiving  tid- 
ings of  the  attack,  came  with  succor,  and  the 
six  dead  Indians,  without  much  ceremony,  were 
tumbled  into  a  hole. 

Volumes  might  be  filled  with  such  terrible 
details.  No  one  could  sleep  at  night  without 
the  fear  of  an  attack  from  the  Indians  before 
the  morning.  In  the  silence  of  the  wilderness. 
many  a  tragedy  was  enacted  of  terror,  torture, 
and  blood,  which  would  cause  the  ear  that  hears 
of  it  to  tingle. 

The  day  after  the  arrival  of  the  English  force 
m  Swanzey  the  Indians  again  appeared  in  large 
numbers,  and  with  defiant  shouts  dared  them 
to  come  out  and  fight.  Philip  himself  was 
.  with  this  band.  A  party  of  volunteers  rushed 
furiously  upon  the  foe,  killed  a  number,  and 
pursued  the  rest  more  than  a  mile.  The  sav- 
ages retired  to  their  fastnesses,  and  the  English 
traversed  Mount  Hope  Neck  until  they  came 


1675.]  HOSTILITIES   COMMENCED.      205 

Horrible  sight.  Destruction  of  corn. 

to  the  imperial  residence  of  Philip.  Not  an  In- 
dian was  to  be  found  upon  the  Neck.  But 
here  the  English  found  the  heads  of  eight  of 
their  countrymen,  which  had  been  cut  off  and 
stuck  upon  poles,  ghastly  trophies  of  savage 
victory.  They  took  them  down  and  reverently 
buried  them. 

It  was  now  the  29th  of  June,  and  the  Indian 
corn-fields  were  waving  in  luxuriant  growth. 
Philip  had  not  anticipated  so  early  an  outbreak 
of  the  war,  and  had  more  than  a  thousand  acres 
planted  with  corn.  These  fields  the  English 
trampled  down,  and  destroyed  all  the  dwellings 
of  the  Indians,  leaving  the  Neck  barren  and 
<lesolate.  This  was  a  heavy  blow  to  Philip. 
The  destruction  of  his  corn-fields  threatened  him 
with  starvation  in  the  winter.  The  Indians 
scattered  in  all  directions,  carrying  every  where 
terror,  conflagration,  and  death. 

Captain  Church,  with  twenty  men,  crossed 
the  Taunton  River,  and  then  followed  down  the 
eastern  shores  of  the  bay,  through  Pokasset,  the 
territory  of  Wetamoo,  toward  Sogkonate  Neck, 
where  Awashonks  reigned.  At  the  southern 
•extremity  of  the  present  town  of  Tiverton  they 
<;ame  to  a  neck  of  land  called  Punkateeset. 
Here  they  discovered  a  fresh  trail,  which  showed 


206  KING   PHILIP.  [1675. 

An  ambush.  Attempt  to  surround  them.  A  retreat. 

that  a  large  body  of  Indians  had  recently  pass- 
ed. Following  this  trail,  they  came  to  a  large 
pea-field  belonging  to  Captain  Almy,  a  colonist 
who  had  settled  there.  They  loitered  a  short 
time  in  the  field,  eating  the  peas.  The  forest, 
almost  impenetrable  with  underbrush,  grew 
very  densely  around.  Just  as  they  were  emerg- 
ing from  the  field  upon  an  open  piece  of  ground, 
with  the  woods  growing  very  thickly  upon  one 
side,  a  sudden  discharge  of  musketry  broke  in 
upon  the  silent  air,  and  bullets  were  every  where 
whistling  fiercely  around  them.  Instantly 
three  hundred  Indians  sprang  up  from  their 
ambush.  Captain  Church  "casting  his  eyes 
to  the  side  of  the  hill  above  him,  the  hill  seemed 
to  move,  being  covered  with  Indians,  with  their 
bright  guns  glistening  in  the  sun,  and  running 
in  a  circumference,  with  a  design  to  surround 
them."  Captain  Church  and  his  men  slowly 
retreated  toward  the  shore,  where  alone  they 
could  prevent  themselves  from  being  surround- 
ed. The  Indians,  outnumbering  them  fifteen 
to  one,  closely  pressed  them,  making  the  forest 
resound  with  their  hideous  outcries. 

As  the  savages  emerged  from  their  ambush, 
they  followed  at  a  cautious  distance,  but  so  di- 
rected their  steps  as  to  cut  off  all  possibility  of 


1675.]  HOSTILITIES  COMMENCED.       207 

Apparent  hopeless  situation.  Bravery  long  continued. 

retreat  from  the  Neck.  They  felt  so  sure  of 
their  victims  that  they  thought  that  all  could 
be  killed  or  captured  without  any  loss  upon 
their  own  part. 

The  situation  of  the  English  now  seemed 
desperate.  They  had  no  means  of  crossing  the 
water,  and-  the  exultant  foe,  in  overwhelming 
numbers  and  with  fiendlike  yells,  were  pressing 
nearer  and  nearer,  and  overwhelming  them  with 
a  storm  of  bullets. 

But  tiie  colonists  resolved  to  sell  their  lives 
as  dearly  as  possible.  It  was  better  to  die  by 
the  quick  ministry  of  the  bullet,  than  to  fall  as 
captives  into  the  hands  of  the  savages,  to  perish 
by  lingering  torment.  Fortunately,  the  ground 
was  very  stony,  and  every  man  instantly  threw 
up  a  pile  for  a  breastwork.  The  Indians  were 
very  cautious  in  presenting  their  bodies  to  the 
unerring  aim  of  the  white  men,  and  did  not  ven- 
ture upon  a  simultaneous  rush,  which  would 
have  secured  the  destruction  of  the  whole  of 
Captain  Church's  party. 

For  six  hours  the  colonists  beat  back  their 
swarming  foes.  The  Indians  availed  themselves' 
of  every  stump,  rock,  or  tree  in  sight,  and  kept 
up  an  incessant  firing.  Just  as  the  ammunition 
of  the  colonists  was  about  exhausted,  and  night 


208  KING  PHILIP.  [1675. 

llelief  at  hand.  All  rescued. 

was  coming  on,  a  sloop  was  discerned  crossing 
the  water  to  their  rescue.  Captain  Golding,  a 
man  of  great  resolution  and  fearlessness,  had 
heard  the  firing,  and  was  hastening  to  their  re- 
lief. The  wind  was  fair,  and  as  the  vessel  ap- 
proached the  shore  the  Indians  plied  their  shot 
with  such  effect  that  the  colors,  sails,  and  sides 
of  the  sloop  were  soon  pierced  full  of  bullet  holes. 
The  water  was  so  shoal  that  they  dropped  an- 
chor, and  the  vessel  rode  afloat  several  rods 
from  the  beach.  Captain  Golding  had  a  small 
canoe,  which  would  support  but  two  men.  At- 
taching a  cord  to  this,  he  let  it  drift  to  the 
shore,  driven  by  the  fresh  wind.  Two  men  en- 
tered the  canoe,  arid  were  drawn  on  board.  The 
canoe  was  then  returned,  and  two  more  were 
taken  on  board.  Thus  the  embarkation  contin- 
ued, covered  by  the  muskets  of  those  on  board 
and  those  on  the  shore,  until  every  man  was 
safe.  Not  one  of  their  number  was  even  wound- 
ed. The  English,  very  skillful  with  the  mus- 
ket, kept  their  innumerable  foes  at  a  distance. 
It  was  certain  death  for  any  Indian  to  step  from 
behind  his  rampart.  The  heroic  Church  was 
the  last  to  embark.  As  he  was  retreating  back- 
ward, boldly  facing  his  foes,  presenting  his  gunr 
which  all  the  remaining  powder  he  had  did  but 


1675.]  HOSTILITIES  COMMENCED.      211 

Narrow  escape  of  Captain  Church.  Dartmouth  burned. 

half  charge,  a  bullet  passed  through  his  hat, 
cutting  off  a  lock  of  his  hair.  Two  others  struck 
the  canoe  as  he  entered  it,  and  a  fourth  buried 
itself  in  a  stake  which  accidentally  stood  before 
the  middle  of  his  breast.  Discharging  his  fare- 
well shot  at  the  enemy,  he  was  safely  received 
on  board,  and  they  were  all  conveyed  to  the 
English  garrison  which  had  been  established  at 
Mount  Hope.  Many  Indians  were  killed  or 
wounded  in  this  affray,  but  it  is  not  known  how 
many. 

Captain  Church  then  went,  with  a  small 
army,  to  ravage  the  territories  of  Wetamoo. 
When  he  arrived  at  the  spot  where  Fall  River 
now  stands,  he  found  that  Wetamoo,  with  her 
warriors,  had  taken  refuge  in  a  neighboring 
swamp.  Just  then  news  came  that  a  great  part 
of  the  town  of  Dartmouth  was  in  flames,  that 
many  of  the  inhabitants  were  killed,  and  that 
the  survivors  were  in  great  distress.  Captain 
Church  marched  immediately  to  their  rescue. 
But  the  foe  had  finished  his  work  of  destruc- 
tion, and  had  fled  into  the  wilderness,  to  emerge 
at  some  other  spot,  no  one  could  tell  where,  and 
strike  another  deadly  blow.  The  colonists, 
however,  took  one  hundred  and  sixty  Indians 
prisoners,  who  had  been  induced  by  promises  of 


212  KING  PHILIP.  [1675. 

Perfidy  of  the  English.  Attempts  to  capture  Philip. 

kind  treatment  to  come  in  and  surrender  them- 
selves. To  the  extreme  indignation  of  Captain 
Church,  all  these  people,  in  most  dishonorable 
disregard  of  the  pledges  of  the  capitulation, 
were  by  the  Plymouth  authorities  sold  into  slav- 
ery. This  act  was  as  impolitic  as  it  was  crim- 
inal. It  can  not  be  too  sternly  denounced.  It 
effectually  deterred  others  from  confiding  in  the 
English. 

The  colonists,  conscious  of  the  intellectual 
supremacy  of  King  Philip  as  the  commanding 
genius  of  the  strife,  devoted  their  main  energies 
to  his  capture,  dead  or  alive.  Large  rewards 
were  offered  for  his  head.  The  barbarian  mon- 
arch, with  a  large  party  of  his  warriors,  had 
taken  refuge  in  an  almost  impenetrable  swamp 
upon  the  river,  about  eighteen  miles  below 
Taunton.  All  the  inhabitants  of  Taunton,  in 
their  terror,  had  abandoned  their  homes,  and 
were  gathered  in  eight  garrison  houses.  On 
the  18th  of  July,  a  force  of  several  hundred 
men  from  Plymouth  and  Taunton  surrounded 
the  swamp.  They  cautiously  penetrated  the 
tangled  thicket,  their  feet  at  almost  every  step 
sinking  in  the  mire  and  becoming  shackled  by 
interlacing  roots,  the  branches  pinioning  their 
arms,  and  the  dense  foliage  blinding  their  eyes. 


1675.]  HOSTILITIES   COMMENCED.      213 

An  unfortunate  ambush.  Lesson  of  caution  dearly  purchased. 

Philip,  with  characteristic  cunning,  sent  a  few 
of  his  warriors  occasionally  to  exhibit  them- 
selves, to  lure  the  English  on.  The  colonists 
gradually  forgot  their  accustomed  prudence,  and 
pressed  eagerly  forward.  Suddenly  from  the 
dense  thicket  a  party  of  warriors  in  ambush 
poured  upon  their  pursuers  a  volley  of  bul- 
lets. Fifteen  dropped  dead,  and  many  were 
sorely  wounded.  The  survivors  precipitately 
retired  from  the  swamp,  "finding  it  ill,"  says 
Hubbard,  "  fighting  a  wild  beast  in  his  own 
den." 

The  English,  taught  a  lesson  of  caution  by 
this  misadventure,  now  decided  to  surround  the 
swamp,  guarding  every  avenue  of  escape.  They 
knew  that  Philip  had  no  stores  of  provisions 
there,  and  that  he  soon  must  be  starved  out. 
Here  they  kept  guard  for  thirteen  days.  In 
the  mean  time,  Philip  constructed  some  canoes 
and  rafts,  and  one  dark  night  floated  all  his 
warriors,  some  two  hundred  in  number,  across 
the  river,  and  continued  his  flight  through  the 
present  towns  of  Dighton  and  Eehoboth,  far 
away  into  the  unknown  wilderness  of  the  inte- 
rior of  Massachusetts.  Wetamoo,  with  several 
of  her  warriors,  accompanied  Philip  in  his  flight. 
He  left  a  hundred  starving  women  and  children 


214  KING   PHILIP.  [1675. 

Indian  allies.  Preaching  politics.  Escape  of  Philip. 

in  the  swamp,  who  surrendered  themselves  the 
next  morning  to  the  English. 

A  band  of  fifty  of  the  Mohegan  Indians  had 
now  come,  by  direction  of  Unca's,  to  proffer  their 
services  to  the  colonists.  A  party  of  the  En- 
glish, with  these  Indian  allies,  pursued  the  fugi- 
tives. They  overtook  Philip's  party  not  far 
from  Providence,  and  shot  thirty  of  their  num- 
ber, without  the  loss  of  a  single  man.  Rev.  Mr. 
Newman,  pastor  of  the  church  in  Rehoboth,  ob- 
tained great  commendation  for  his  zeal  in  rous- 
ing his  parishioners  to  pursue  the  savages. 

Philip  had  now  penetrated  the  wilderness, 
and  had  effected  his  escape  beyond  the  reach 
of  his  foes.  lie  had  the  boundless  forest  around 
him  for  his  refuge,  with  the  opportunity  of 
emerging  at  his  leisure  upon  any  point  of  attack 
along  the  vast  New  England  frontier  which  he 
might  select. 

The  Nipmuck  Indians  were  a  powerful  tribe, 
consisting  of  many  petty  clans  spread  over  the 
whole  of  the  interior  of  Massachusetts.  They 
appear  to  have  had  no  sachem  of  distinction, 
and  at  one  time  were  tributary  to  the  Narragan- 
sets,  but  were  now  tributary  to  the  Wampa- 
noags.  They  had  thus  far  been  living  on  very 
friendly  terms  with  the  inhabitants  of  the  towns 


1675.]  HOSTILITIES  COMMENCED.      215 

\  conference  agreed  upon.  Suspicions  of  treachery. 

which  had  been  settled  within  the  limits  of  their 
territory.  The  court  at  Boston,  apprehensive 
that  the  Nipmucks  might  be  induced  to  join 
King  Philip,  sent  some  messengers  to  treat  with 
them.  The  young  warriors  were  very  surly, 
and  manifestly  disposed  to  fight ;  but  the  old 
men  dreaded  the  perils  of  war  with  foes  whose 
prowess  they  appreciated,  and  were  inclined  to 
a  renewal  of  friendship. 

It  was  agreed  that  a  conference  should  be 
held  at  a  certain  large  tree,  upon  a  plain  about 
three  miles  from  Brookfield,  on  the  2d  of  Au- 
gust. At  the  appointed  time,  the  English  com- 
missioners were  there,  with  a  small  force  of 
twenty  mounted  men.  But  not  an  Indian  was 
to  be  seen.  Notwithstanding  some  suspicions 
of  treachery,  the  English  determined  to  advance 
some  miles  farther,  to  a  spot  where  they  were 
assured  that  a  large  number  of  Indians  were 
assembled.  They  at  length  came  to  a  narrow 
pass,  with  a  steep  hill  covered  with  trees  and 
underbrush  on  one  side,  and  a  swamp,  impen- 
etrable with  mire  and  thickets,  upon  the  other. 
Along  this  narrow  way  they  could  march  only 
in  single  file.  The  silence  of  the  eternal  forest 
was  around  them,  and  nothing  was  to  be  seen 
or  heard  which  gave  the  slightest  indication  of 
danger. 


216  KING  PHILIP.  [1675. 

Furious  attack.  Escape  to  Brookfield.  Attack  upon  the  town. 

Just  as  they  were  in  the  middle  of  this  trail, 
three  hundred  Indians  rose  up  on  either  side, 
and  showered  upon  them  a  storm  of  bullets. 
Eight  dropped  dead.  Three  were  mortally,  and 
several  others  severely  wounded.  Captain 
Wheeler,  who  was  in  command,  had  his  horse 
shot  from  under  him,  and  a  bullet  also  passed 
through  his  body.  His  son,  who  rode  behind 
him,  though  his  own  arm  was  shattered  by  a 
ball,  dismounted,  and  succeeded  in  placing  his 
father  in  the  saddle.  A  precipitate  retreat  was 
immediately  commenced,  while  the  Indians  pur- 
sued with  yells  of  exultation.  But  for  the  aid 
of  three  Christian  Indians  who  accompanied  the 
English  party,  every  Englishman  must  have 
perished.  One  of  these  Indians  was  taken  cap- 
tive. The  other  two,  by  skill  and  bravery,  led 
their  friends,  by  a  by-path,  back  to  Brooktield. 

This  town  was  then  a  solitary  settlement  of 
about  twenty  houses,  alone  in  the  wilderness, 
half  way  between  the  Atlantic  shore  and  the  set- 
tlements on  the  Connecticut.  .  The  terrified  in- 
habitants had  but  just  time  to  abandon  their 
homes  and  take  refuge  in  the  garrison  house 
when  the  savages  were  upon  them.  With  an- 
guish they  saw,  from  the  loop-holes  of  their  re- 
treat, every  house  and  barn  consumed,  their  cat- 


1675.]  HOSTILITIES  COMMENCED.      217 

Brookfield  consumed.  Attempts  to  burn  the  garrison. 

tie  shot,  and  all  their  property  of  food,  clothing, 
and  furniture  destroyed.  They  were  thus,  in 
an  hour,  reduced  from  competence  to  the  ex- 
treme of  want. 

The  inhabitants  of  Brookfield,  men,  women, 
and  children,  amounted  to  but  eighty.  The 
nearest  settlement  from  whence  any  help  could 
come  was  at  Lancaster,  some  forty  miles  north- 
east of  Brookfield.  The  Indians  surrounded  the 
garrison,  and  for  two  days  exerted  all  their  in- 
genuity in  attempting  to  destroy  the  building. 
They  wrapped  around  their  arrows  hemp  dip- 
ped in  oil,  and,  setting  them  on  fire,  shot  them 
upon  the  dry  and  inflammable  roof.  Several 
times  the  building  was  in  flames,  but  the  inmates 
succeeded  in  arresting  the  conflagration.  It 
was  now  the  evening  of  the  4th  of  August. 
The  garrison,  utterly  exhausted  by  two  days 
and  two  nights  of  incessant  conflict,  aware  that 
their  ammunition  must  soon  be  exhausted,  and 
knowing  not  from  what  quarter  to  hope  for  re- 
lief, were  in  despair.  The  Indians  now  filled  a 
cart  with  hemp,  flax,  and  the  resinous  boughs 
of  firs  and  pines.  They  fastened  to  the  tongue 
a  succession  of  long  poles,  and  then,  setting  the 
whole  fabric  on  fire,  as  it  rolled  up  volumes  of 
flame  and  smoke,  pushed  it  back  against  the 


218  KING   PHILIP.  [1675. 

Relief  comes.  A  shower.  The  garrison  saved. 

log  house,  whose  walls  were  as  dry  as  powder. 
Just  then,  when  all  hope  of  escape  was  abandon- 
ed, relief  came. 

Major  Willard  had  been  sent  from  Boston  to 
Lancaster  with  a  party  of  dragoons  for  the  de- 
fense of  that  region.  By  some  chance,  proba- 
bly through  a  friendly  Indian,  he  was  informed 
of  the  extreme  distress  of  the  people  at  Brook- 
field.  Taking  with  him  forty-eight  dragoons, 
he  marched  with  the  utmost  possible  haste  to 
their  relief.  With  Indian  guides,  he  traversed 
thirty  miles  of  the  forest  that  day,  and  arrived 
at  the  garrison  in  the  evening  twilight,  just  as 
the  Indians,  with  fiendish  clamor,  were  all  en- 
gaged in  their  experiment  with  the  flaming  cart. 
Though  the  Indian  scouts  discovered  his  ap- 
proach, and  fired  their  guns  and  raised  shouts 
of  alarm,  there  was  such  a  horrid  noise  from  the 
yells  of  the  savages  and  the  uproar  of  musket- 
ry that  the  scouts  could  not  communicate  in- 
telligence of  the  approach  of  the  English,  and 
the  re-enforcement,  with  a  rush,  entered  the 
garrison.  At  the  same  moment  a  very  heavy 
shower  arose,  which  aided  greatly  in  the  extin- 
guishment of  the  flames. 

The  savages,  thus  balked  of  their  victims, 
howled  with  rage,  and,  after  firing  a  few  volleys 


1675.]  HOSTILITIES  COMMENCED.      219 


The  Indians  elated  by  victory. 


of  bullets  into  the  walls  of  the  fortress,  retired 
to  their  fastnesses.  During  this  siege  many  of 
the  whites  were  wounded,  and  about  eighty  of 
the  Indians  were  killed.  The  day  after  the  de- 
feat, Philip,  with  forty-eight  warriors,  arrived  at 
the  Indian  encampment  at  Brookh'eld.  Though 
the  Indians  had  not  taken  the  garrison,  and 
though  they  mourned  the  loss  of  many  warri- 
ors, they  were  not  a  little  elated  with  success. 
They  had  killed  many  of  their  enemies,  and  had 
utterly  destroyed  the  town  of  Brookfield. 


220  KING   PHILIP.  [1675. 

Pnilip's  influence.  Simultaneous  attacks. 


CHAPTER   VII. 
AUTUMN  AND  WINTER  CAMPAIGNS, 

PHILIP  now  directed  his  steps  to  the  val- 
ley of  the  Connecticut,  and  gave  almost 
superhuman  vigor  to  the  energy  which  the  sav- 
ages were  already  displaying  in  their  attack 
upon  the  numerous  and  thriving  settlements 
there.  Even  most  of  the  Christian  Indians, 
who  had  long  lived  upon  terms  of  uninterrupt- 
ed friendship  with  the  English,  were  so  influ- 
enced by  the  persuasions  of  Philip  that  they 
joined  his  warriors,  and  were  as  eager  as  any 
others  for  the  extermination  of  the  colonists. 

Attacks  were  made  almost  simultaneously 
upon  the  towns  of  Hadley,  Hatfield,  and  Deer- 
field,  and  also  upon  several  towns  upon  the 
Merrirnac  River,  in  the  province  of  New  Hamp- 
shire. In  these  conflicts,  the  Indians,  on  the 
whole,  were  decidedly  the  victors.  As  Philip 
had  fled  from  Plymouth,  and  as  the  Narragan- 
sets  had  not  yet  joined  the  coalition,  the  towns 
in  Plymouth  colony  enjoyed  a  temporary  respite. 

On  the  1st  of  September  the  Indians  made 


1675.J        AUTUMN  CAMPAIGN.  221 

Deerfield  burned.  lie-enforcement.  An  ambuscade. 

a  rush  upon  Deerfield.  They  laid  the  whole 
town  in  ashes.  Most  of  the  inhabitants  had 
fortunately  taken  refuge  in  the  garrison  house, 
and  but  one  man  was  slain.  They  then  pro- 
ceeded fifteen  miles  up  the  river  to  Northfield, 
where  a  small  garrison  had  been  established. 
They  destroyed  much  property,  and  shot  eight 
or  ten  of  the  inhabitants.  The  rest  were  shel- 
tered in  the  garrison.  The  next  day,  this  dis- 
aster not  being  known  at  Hadley,  Captain  Beers 
was  detached  from  that  place  with  thirty-six 
mounted  infantry  and  a  convoy  of  provisions 
*.o  re-enforce  the  feeble  garrison  at  Northfield. 
They  had  a  march  before  them  of  thirty  miles, 
along  the  eastern  bank  of  the  river.  The  road 
was  very  rough,  and  led  through  almost  a  con- 
tinued forest. 

When  they  arrived  within  a  few  miles  of 
Northfield,  they  came  to  a  wide  morass,  where 
it  was  necessary  to  dismount  and  lead  their 
horses.  They  were  also  thrown  into  confusion 
in  their  endeavors  to  transport  their  baggage 
through  the  'swamp.  Here  the  Indians  had 
formed  an  ambuscade.  The  surprise  was  sud- 
den, and  disastrous  in  the  extreme.  The  In- 
dians, several  hundred  in  number,  surrounded 
the  doomed  party,  and,  from  their  concealment, 


222  KING  PHILIP.  [1675. 

Dreadful  slaughter  and  tortures.  Itascue  of  Northfield. 

took  unerring  aim.  Captain  Beers,  a  man  of 
great  valor,  succeeded,  with  a  few  men,  in  re- 
treating to  a  small  eminence,  since  known  as 
Beers's  Mountain,  where  he  bravely  maintained 
the  unequal  fight  until  all  his  ammunition  was 
expended.  A  ball  then  pierced  his  bosom,  and 
he  fell  dead.  A  few  escaped  back  to  Hadley  to 
tell  the  mournful  tidings  of  the  slaughter,  while 
all  the  rest  were  slain,  and  all  their  provisions 
and  baggage  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  exultant 
savages.  The  barbarian  victors  amused  them- 
selves in  cutting  off  the  heads  of  the  slain,  which 
they  fixed  upon  poles  at  the  spot,  as  defiant 
trophies  of  their  triumph.  One  man  was  found 
with  a  chain  hooked  into  his  under  jaw,  and 
thus  he  was  suspended  on  the  bough  of  a  tree, 
where  he  had  been  left  to  struggle  and  die  in 
mortal  agony.  The  garrison  at  Northfield,  al- 
most destitute  of  powder  and  food,  was  now  re- 
duced to  the  last  extremity. 

Major  Treat  was  immediately  dispatched  with 
a  hundred  men  for  their  rescue.  Advancing 
rapidly  and  with  caution,  he  succeeded  in  reach- 
ing Northfield.  His  whole  company,  in  pass- 
ing through  the  scene  of  the  disaster,  were  most 
solemnly  affected  in  gazing  upon  the  mutilated 
remains  of  their  friends,  and  appear  to  have  been 


1675.J        XOTUMN   CAMPAIGN. 

Northfield  abandoned.  Attempts  to  save  some  com. 

lot  a  little  terror-stricken  in  view  of  such  hor- 
rid barbarities.  Fearing  that  the  Indians  were 
too  numerous  in  the  vicinity  to  be  encountered 
by  their  small  band,  they  brought  oft*  the  garri- 
son, and  retreated  precipitately  to  Hadley,  not 
tarrying  even  to  destroy  the  property  which 
they  could  not  bring  away.  It  is  said  that 
Philip  himself  guided  the  Indians  in  their  at- 
tack upon  Captain  Beers. 

Hadley  was  now  the  head-quarters  of  the 
English  army,  and  quite  a  large  force  was  as- 
sembled there.  Most  of  the  inhabitants  of  the 
adjoining  towns  in  tumult  and  terror  had  fled 
to  this  place  for  protection.  At  the  garrison 
house  in  Deerfield,  fifteen  miles  above  Hadley, 
on  the  western  side  of  the  river,  there  were 
three  thousand  bushels  of  corn  standing  in 
stacks. 

On  the  18th  of  September,  Captain  Lothrop, 
having  been  sent  from  Hadley  to  bring  off  this 
corn,  started  with  his  loaded  teams  on  his  re- 
turn. His  force  consisted  of  a  hundred  men, 
soldiers  and  teamsters.  As  no  Indians  had 
for  sonfie  time  appeared  in  that  immediate  vicin- 
ity, and  as  there  was  a  good  road  between  the 
two  places,  no  particular  danger  was  appre- 
hended. The  Indians,  however,  from  the  fast- 


224  KING   PHILIP.  [1675. 

Unsuspicious  of  danger.  Sudden  attack. 

nesses  of  the  forest,  were  all  the  time  watching 
their  movements  with  eagle  eye.  and  with  con- 
summate cunning  were  plotting  their  destruc- 
tion. 

After  leaving  Deerfield,  the  march  led  for 
about  three  miles  through  a  very  level  country, 
densely  wooded  on  each  side  of  the  road.  The 
march  was  then  continued  for  half  a  mile  along 
the  borders  of  a  morass  filled  with  large  trees 
and  tangled  underbrush.  Here  a  thousand  In- 
dians had  planted  themselves  in  ambuscade. 
It  was  a  serene  and  beautiful  autumnal  tlay. 
Grape-vines  festooned  the  gigantic  trees  of  the 
forest,  and  purple  clusters,  ripe  and  juicy,  hung 
in  profusion  among  the  boughs.  Captain  Loth- 
rop  was  so  unsuspicious  of  danger  that  many 
of  his  men  had  thrown  their  guns  into  the  carts, 
and  were  strolling  about  gathering  grapes. 

The  critical  moment  arrived,  and  the  English 
being  in  the  midst  of  the  ambush,  a  thousand 
Indians  sprang  up  from  their  concealment,  and 
poured  in  upon  the  straggling  column  a  heavy 
and  destructive  fire.  Then,  with  savage  yells, 
which  seemed  to  fill  the  whole  forest,  they 
rushed  from  every  quarter  to  close  assault. 
The  English  were  scattered  in  a  long  line  of 
march,  and  the  Indians,  with  the  ferocity  of 


1675.J        AUTUMN   CAMPAIGN.  225 

A  scene  of  carnage.  The  English  overpowered. 

wolves,  sprang  upon  them  ten  to  one.  A  dread- 
ful scene  of  tumult,  dismay,  and  carnage  en- 
sued. 

The  tragic  drama  was  soon  closed.  The 
troops,  broken  and  scattered,  could  only  resort 
to  the  Indian  mode  of  righting,  each  one  skulk- 
ing behind  a  tree.  But  they  were  so  entirely 
surrounded  and  overpowered  that  no  one  could 
discharge  his  musket  more  than  two  or  three 
times  before  he  fell.  Some,  in  their  dismay, 
leaped  into  the  branches  of  the  trees,  hoping 
thus  to  escape  observation.  The  savages,  with 
shouts  of  derision,  mocked  them  for  a  time,  and 
then  pierced  them  with  bullets  until  they  drop- 
ped to  the  ground.  All  the  wounded  were  in- 
discriminately butchered.  But  eight  escaped 
to  tell  the  awful  story.  Ninety  perished  upon 
this  bloody  field.  The  young  men  who  were 
thus  slaughtered  constituted  the  flower  of  Es- 
sex county.  They  had  been  selected  for  their 
intrepidity  and  hardihood  from  all  the  towns. 
Their  destruction  caused  unspeakable  anguish 
in  their  homes,  and  sent  a  wave  of  grief  through- 
out all  the  colonies.  The  little  stream  in  the 
south  part  of  Deerfield,  upon  the  banks  of  which 
this  memorable  tragedy  occurred,  has  in  conse- 
quence received  the  name  of  Bloody  Brook. 
2—15 


226  KING  PHILIP.  [1675. 

•Captain  Mostly  attempts  a  rescue.  A  prolonged  fight 

Captain  Mosely  had  been  left  in  the  garrison 
at  Deerfield  with  seventy  men,  intending  to  go 
the  next  day  in  search  of  the  Indians.  As  lie 
was  but  live  miles  from  the  scene  of  the  mas- 
sacre, he  heard  the  tiring,  and  immediately 
marched  to  the  rescue  of  his  friends.  But  he 
was  too  late.  They  were  all,  before  his  arrival, 
silent  in  death.  As  the  Indians  were  scalping 
and  stripping  the  dead,  Captain  Mosely,  with 
^reat  intrepidity,  fell  upon  them,  though  he 
computed  their  numbers  at  not  less  than  a  thou- 
sand. Keeping  his  men  in  a  body,  he  broke 
through  the  tumultuous  mass,  charging  back 
and  forth,  and  cutting  down  all  within  range  of 
his  shot. 

Still,  aided  by  the  swamp  and  the  forest,  and 
being  so  overwhelmingly  superior  to  the  En- 
glish in  numbers,  the  savages  maintained  the 
fight  with  much  fierceness  for  six  hours.  Cap- 
tain Mosely  and  all  his  men  might  perhaps  also 
have  perished,  had  not  another  party  providen- 
tially and  very  unexpectedly  come  to  their  re- 
lief. 

Major  »Treat,  from  Connecticut,  was  ascend- 
ing the  river  with  one  hundred  and  sixty  Mo- 
Legan  Indians,  on  his  way  to  Northfield,  in 
pursuit  of  the  foe  in  that  vicinity.  It  was  so 


1675.J        AUTUMN   CAMPAIGN.  227 

The  Indians  vanquished.  Burial  of  the  dead. 

ordered  by  Providence  that  lie  approached  the 
scene  of  action  just  as  both  parties  were  ex- 
hausted by  the  protracted  fight.  Hearing  the 
firing,  he  pressed  rapidly  forward,  and  with 
fresh  troops  fell  vigorously  upon  the  foe.  The 
Indians,  with  yells  of  disappointment  and  rage, 
now  fled,  plunging  into  the  swamps  and  forests. 
They  left  ninety-six  of  their  number  dead  by 
the  side  of  the  English  whom  they  had  so  mer- 
cilessly slaughtered  in  the  morning.  It  is  sup- 
posed that  Philip  himself  commanded  the  In- 
dians on  this  sanguinary  day.  The  Indians, 
though  in  the  end  defeated,  had  gained  a  mar- 
velous victory,  by  which  they  were  exceedingly 
encouraged  and  emboldened. 

Captains  Mosely  and  Treat  encamped  in  the 
vicinity  for  the  night,  and  the  next  morning  at- 
tended to  the  burial  of  the  dead.  They  were 
deposited  in  two  pits,  the  English  in  one  and 
the  Indians  in  another.  A  marble  monument 
now  marks  the  spot  where  this  battle  occurred, 
and  a  slab  is  placed  over  the  mound  which  cov- 
ers the  slain. 

Twenty-seven  men  only  had  been  left  in  the 
garrison  at  Deerfield.  The  next  morning  the 
Indians  appeared  in  large  numbers  before  the 
garrison,  threatening  an  attack.  They  taunt- 


228  KING   PHILIP.  [1675. 

Deerfield  destroyed.  Plot  against  Springfield. 

ingly  exhibited  the  clothes  they  had  stripped 
from  the  slain,  and  shouted  messages  of  defi- 
ance and  insult.  But  the  captain  of  the  garri- 
son, making  a  brave  show  of  resistance,  and 
sounding  his  trumpets,  as  if  to  call  in  forces 
near  at  hand,  so  alarmed  the  Indians  that  they 
retired,  and  soon  all  disappeared  in  the  path- 
less forest.  Deerfield  was,  however,  utterly  de- 
stroyed, and  the  garrison,  abandoning  the  fort- 
ress, retired  down  the  river  to  afford  such  protec- 
tion as  might  be  in  their  power  to  the  lower  towns. 

About  thirty  miles  below  Hadley,  upon  the 
river,  was  the  town  of  Springfield,  a  very  flour- 
ishing settlement,  containing  forty-eight  dwell- 
ing-houses. A  numerous  tribe  of  Indians  lived 
in  the  immediate  vicinity,  having  quite  a  spa- 
cious Indian  fort  at  Long  Hill,  a  mile  below  the 
village.  These  Indians  had  for  forty  years 
lived  on  terms  of  most  cordial  friendship  with 
their  civilized  neighbors.  They  now  made 
such  firm  protestations  of  friendliness  that  but 
few  doubted  in  the  least  their  good  faith.  But, 
while  thus  protesting,  they  had  yielded  to  the 
potent  seductions  of  King  Philip,  and,  joining 
his  party  secretly,  were  making  preparations  for 
the  destruction  of  Springfield. 

On  the  night  of  the  4th  of  October,  three 


1675.]        AUTUMN   CAMPAIGN.  229 

A  timely  warning.  Lieutenant  Cooper  shot. 

hundred  of  King  Philip's  warriors  crept  stealth- 
ily through  the  forest,  and  were  received  into 
the  Indian  fort  at  Long  Hill.  A  friendly  In- 
dian by  the  name  of  Toto,  who  had  received 
much  kindness  from  the  whites,  betrayed  his 
countrymen,  aryl  gave  information  of  the  con- 
spiracy to  burn  the  town  and  massacre  the  in- 
habitants. The  people  were  thrown  into  con- 
sternation, and  precipitately  fled  to  the  garrison 
houses,  while  a  courier  was  dispatched  to  Had- 
ley  for  aid. 

Still,  many  had  so  much  conndence  in  the 
sincerity  of  the  Springfield  Indians  that  they 
could  not  believe  in  their  treachery.  Lieuten- 
ant Cooper,  who  commanded  there,  was  so  de- 
ceived by  their  protestations  that  he  the  next 
morning,  taking  another  man  with  him,  rode  to- 
ward the  fort  to  ascertain  the  facts.  He  had 
not  advanced  far  before  he  met  the  enemy,  sev- 
eral hundred  in  number,  marching  to  the  as- 
sault. The  savages  immediately  fired  upon 
him.  His  companion  was  instantly  shot,  and 
several  bullets  passed  through  his  body.  He 
was  a  man  of  Herculean  strength  and  vigor, 
and,  though  mortally  wounded,  succeeded,  by 
clinging  to  his  horse,  in  reaching  the  garrison 
and  giving  the  alarm  before  he  died. 


230  KING    PHILIP.  [1675. 

The  attack.  The  conflagration.  Loss  of  books. 

The  savages  now  came  roaring  on  like  fero- 
cious wild  beasts.  The  town  was  utterly  de- 
fenseless. Thirty-three  houses  and  twenty-five 
barns  were  almost  instantly  in  flames.  Fortu- 
nately, nearly  all  of  the  inhabitants  were  in  the 
block-houses,  and  but  five  men.  and  one  woman 
were  killed.  The  Indians  kept  cautiously  be- 
yond the  reach  of  gun-shot,  vigorously  plunder- 
ing the  houses  and  applying  the  torch.  The 
wretched  inhabitants,  from  the  loop-holes  of  the 
garrison,  contemplated  with  anguish  the  confla- 
gration of  their  homes  and  all  their  earthly 
^joods.  The  Reverend  Mr.  Glover,  pastor  of  the 
church  in  this  place,  was  a  man  of  studious  hab- 
its, and  had  collected  a  valuable  library,  at  an 
expense  of  five  thousand  dollars.  He  had,  for 
some  time,  kept  his  library  in  the  garrison  house 
for  safety  ;  but,  a  short  time  before  the  attack, 
thinking  that  Philip  could  not  venture  to  make  an 
assault  upon  Springfield,  when  it  was  surround- 
ed by  so  many  friendly  Indians,  he  removed  the 
books  to  his  own  house.  They  were  all  con- 
sumed. The  loss  to  this  excellent  man  was 
irreparable,  and  a  source  of  the  keenest  grief. 
In  the  midst  of  the  conflagration  and  the  plun- 
der Major  Treat  appeared  witli  a  strong  force 
from  Hadley,  and  the  Indians,  loaded  down  with 


1675.]        AUTUMN   CAMPAIGN.  231 

Alarm  of  the  inhal.itants.  Decree  of  the  general  court.. 

booty,  retreated  into  their  forest  fastnesses. 
Fifteen  houses  only  were  left  unburned. 

This  treachery  on  the  part  of  the  Springfield 
Indians  caused  very  great  alarm.  There  were, 
henceforward,  no  Indians  in  whom  the  colonists 
could  confide.  The  general  court  in  Boston 
ordered 

"That  no  person  shall  entertain,  own,  or  coun- 
tenance any  Indian,  under  penalty  of  being  a 
betrayer  of  this  government. 

"That  a  guard  be  set  at  the  entrance  of  the 
town  of  Boston,  and  that  no  Indian  be  suffered 
to  enter,  upon  any  pretense,  without  a  guard  of 
two  musketeers,  and  not  to  lodge  in  town." 

Animated  by  his  success,  Philip  now  planned 
a  still  bolder  movement.  Hatfield  was  one  of 
the  most  beautiful  and  flourishing  of  the  towns 
which  reposed  in  the  fertile  valley  of  the  Con- 
necticut. Its  inhabitants,  warned  by  the  disas- 
ters which  had  befallen  so  many  of  their  neigh- 
bors, were  prepared  for  a  vigorous  defense. 
They  kept  a  constant  watch,  and  several  garri- 
son houses  were  erected,  to  which  the  women 
and  children  could  fly  in  case  of  alarm.  All 
the  male  inhabitants  were  armed  and  drilled, 
and  there  were  three  companies  of  soldiers  sta- 
tioned in  the  town ;  and  Hadlev,  which  was  on 


232  KING  PHILIP.  [1675. 

Arrangement  of  forces.     Attack  upon  11  at  fit-Id.     The  Indians  defeated. 

the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  was  the  head- 
quarters of  the  Massachusetts  and  Connecticut 
forces,  then  under  the  command  of  Major  Ap- 
pleton.  An  attack  upon  Hatfield  would  imme- 
diately bring  the  forces  of  Hadley  to  its  relief. 
On  the  19th  of  October,  Philip,  at  the  head 
of  eight  hundred  warriors,  boldly,  but  with  In- 
dian secrecy,  approached  the  outposts  of  Hat- 
field.  He  succeeded  in  cutting  off  several  par- 
ties who  were  scouring  the  woods  in  the  vicin- 
ity, and  then  made  an  impetuous  rush  upon  the 
town.  But  every  man  sprang  to  his  appointed 
post.  Every  avenue  of  approach  was  valiantly 
defended.  Major  Appleton  immediately  crossed 
with  his  force  from  Hadley,  and  fell  furiously 
upon  the  assailants,  every  man  burning  with  the 
desire  to  avenge  the  destruction  of  Northfield, 
Deertield,  and  Springfield.  Notwithstanding 
this  determined  defense,  the  Indians,  inspired 
by  the  energies  of  their  indomitable  leader, 
fought  a  long  time  with  great  resolution.  At 
length,  repulsed  at  every  point,  they  retreated, 
bearing  off  with  them  all  their  dead  and  wound- 
ed. They  succeeded,  however,  in  burning  many 
houses,  and  in  driving  off  many  cattle.  The 
impression  they  made  upon  the  English  may  be 
inferred  from  the  fact  that  they  were  not  pur- 


1675.]        WINTER  CAMPAIGN.  233 

Narrow  escape  of  Major  Appleton.  The  Indian  rendezvous. 

sued.  In  this  affair,  six  of  the  English  were 
killed  and  ten  wounded.  A  bullet  passed 
through  the  bushy  hair  of  Major  Appleton,  cut- 
ting a  very  smooth  path  for  itself,  "  by  that 
whisper  telling  him,"  says  Hubbard,  "  that 
death  was  very  near,  but  did  hirn  no  other 
harm." 

Winter  was  now  approaching,  and  as  Philip 
found  that  the  remaining  settlements  upon  the 
Connecticut  were  so  defended  that  he  could  not 
hope  to  accomplish  much,  he  scattered  his  forces 
into  winter  quarters.  Most  of  his  warriors,  who 
had  accompanied  him  from  the  Atlantic  coast 
to  the  Connecticut,  returned  to  Narraganset,  and 
established  their  rendezvous  in  an  immense 
swamp  in  the  region  now  incorporated  into  the 
town  of  South  Kingston,  Rhode  Island.  Upon 
what  might  be  called  an  island  in  this  immense 
swamp,  they  constructed  five  hundred  wig- 
wams, and  surrounded  the  whole  with  fortifica- 
tions admirably  adapted  to  repel  attack.  Three 
thousand  Indians  were  soon  assembled  upon 
this  spot. 

There  is  some  uncertainty  respecting  the 
movements  of  Philip  during  the  winter.  It  is 
generally  supposed  that  he  passed  the  winter 
very  actively  engaged  in  endeavors  to  rouse  all 


234  KING  PHILIP.  [1675. 

Philip's  employments.  Attempts  to  secure  the  NarraganseU. 

the  distant  tribes.  It  is  said  that  he  crossed 
the  Hudson,  and  endeavored  to  incite  the  In- 
dians in  the  valley  of  the  Mohawk  to  fall  upon 
the  Dutch  settlements  on  the  Hudson.  It  is 
also  probable  that  he  spent  some  time  at  the 
Narraganset  fort,  and  that  he  directed  several  as- 
saults which,  during  this  season  of  comparative 
repose,  fell  upon  remote  sections  of  the  frontier. 

Straggling  parties  of  Indians  lingered  about 
Northampton,  Westfield,  and  Springfield,  occa- 
sionally burning  a  house,  shooting  at  those  who 
ventured  into  the  fields,  and  keeping  the  inhab- 
itants in  a  state  of  constant  alarm. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  Avar,  just  before 
the  discomfiture  of  Philip  in  the  swamp  near 
Taunton,  a  united  force  of  the  Massachusetts, 
Plymouth,  and  Connecticut  colonies  had  been 
sent  into  the  Narraganset  country  to  persuade, 
and,  if  they  could  not  persuade,  to  compel  the 
Narraganset  Indians  to  declare  for  the  English. 
It  was  well  known  that  the  Narragansets  in 
heart  espoused  the  cause  of  Philip ;  for  the 
Wampanoag  chieftain,  to  relieve  himself  from 
embarrassment,  had  sent  his  old  men,  with  his 
women  and  the  children,  into  the  Narraganset 
territory,  where  they  were  received  and  enter- 
tained with  much  hospitality. 


1675.J        WINTER  CAMPAIGN-.  235 

Mission  to  the  Narragansets.  Compulsory  treaty. 

In  this  mission  to  the  Narraganset  country, 
a  part  of  the  troops  crossed  the  bay  in  boats, 
while  others  rode  around  by  land,  entering  the 
country  by  the  way  of  Providence.  The  two 
parties  soon  met,  and  advanced  cautiously  to- 
gether, to  guard  against  ambush.  They  could, 
however,  for  some  time  find  no  Indians.  The 
wigwams  were  all  deserted,  and  the  natives, 
men,  women,  and  children,  fled  before  them. 
At  length  they  succeeded  in  catching  some  Nar- 
raganset sachems,  and  with  them,  after  a  con- 
ference of  two  or  three  days,  concluded  a  treaty 
of  peace.  It  was  virtually  a  compulsory  trea- 
ty, in  which  the  English  could  place  very  little 
reliance,  and  to  which  the  Narragansets  paid  no 
regard. 

According  to  the  terms  of  this  treaty,  which 
was  signed  on  the  15th  of  July,  1675,  the  Nar- 
ragansets agreed, 

1st.  To  deliver  to  the  English  army  every 
subject  of  King  Philip,  either  living  or  dead, 
who  should  come  into  their  territories. 

2dly.  To  become  allies  of  the  English,  and 
to  kill  and  destroy,  with  their  utmost  ability, 
all  the  subjects  of  King  Philip. 

There  were  several  other  articles  of  the  trea- 
ty, but  they  were  all  comprehended  in  the  spirit 


236  KING  PHILIP.  [1675. 

Kr&etion  of  an  Indian  fort.  Advantages  of  the  Indians. 

of  the  two  first.  But  now,  in  three  months 
after  the  signing  of  this  treaty,  Philip,  with  the 
aid  of  the  Narragansets,  was  constructing  a  fort 
in  the  very  heart  of  their  country,  and  was  mak- 
ing it  the  general  rendezvous  for  all  his  warri- 
ors. The  Narragansets  could  bring  a  very  fear- 
ful accumulation  of  strength  to  the  cause  of 
Philip.  They  could  lead  two  thousand  warriors 
into  the  field,  and  these  warriors  were  renowned 
for  ferocity  and  courage.  Dwelling  so  near  the 
English  settlements,  they  could  at  any  time 
emerge  from  their  fastnesses,  scattering  dismay 
and  ruin  along  their  path. 

The  Indians  enjoyed  peculiar  advantages  for 
the  rude  warfare  in  which  they  engaged.  They 
were  not  only  perfectly  acquainted  with  the 
wilderness,  its  morasses,  mountains,  and  impen- 
etrable thickets,  but,  from  their  constant  inter- 
course with  the  settlements,  were  as  well  ac- 
quainted with  the  dwellings,  fields,  and  roads 
of  the  English  as  were  the  colonists  themselves. 
They  were  very  numerous  and  widely  scattered, 
and  could  watch  every  movement  of  their  foe. 
Stealthily  approaching  through  the  forest  under 
cover  of  the  night,  they  could  creep  into  barns 
and  out-houses,  and  lie  secreted  behind  fences, 
prepared  for  murder,  robbery,  and  conflagration. 


1675.J        WINTER  CAMPAIGN.  237 

Indian  warfare.  Endurance  of  the  Indians. 


Often  they  concealed  themselves  before  the  ver y 
doors  of  their  victims.  The  first  warning  of 
their  presence  would  be  the  ring  of  the  musket, 
as  the  lonely  settler,  opening  his  door  in  the 
morning,  dropped  down  dead  upon  his  thresh- 
old. The  house  was  then  fired,  the  mother  and 
her  babes  scalped,  and  the  work  of  destruction 
was  accomplished.  Like  packs  of  wolves  they 
came  howling  from  the  wilderness,  and,  leaving 
blood  and  smouldering  ruins  behind  them,  howl- 
ing they  disappeared.  While  the  English  were 
hunting  for  them  in  one  place,  they  Avould  be 
burning  and  plundering  in  another.  They  were 
capable  of  almost  any  amount  of  fatigue,  and 
could  subsist  in  vigor  where  a  civilized  man 
would  starve.  A  few  kernels  of  corn,  pounded 
into  meal  between  two  stones,  and  mixed  with 
water,  in  a  cup  made  from  rolling  up  a  strip  of 
birch  bark,  afforded  a  good  dinner  for  an  In- 
dian. If  to  this  he  could  add  a  few  clams,  or 
a  bird  or  a  squirrel  shot  from  a  neighboring 
tree,  he  regarded  his  repast  as  quite  sumptu- 
ous. 

The  storms  of  winter  checked,  but  by  no 
means  terminated  the  atrocities  of  the  savages. 
Marauding  bands  were  wandering  every  where, 
and  no  man  dwelt  in  safety.  Many  persons 


238  KING   PHILIP.  [1675. 

Losses  of  the  colonists.  Anxious  deliberations. 

were  shot,  houses  and  barns  were  burned,  and 
not  a  few  men,  women,  and  children  were  taken 
captive  and  carried  into  the  wilderness,  where 
they  miserably  perished,  often  being  subjected 
to  the  most  excruciating  torture.  The  condi- 
tion of  the  colonies  was  now  melancholy  in  the 
extreme.  Their  losses  had  been  very  great,  as 
one  company  after  another  of  their  soldiers  had 
wasted  away.  Industry  had  been  paralyzed, 
and  the  harvest  had  consequently  been  very 
short,  while  at  the  same  time  the  expenses  of 
the  war  were  enormous.  The  savages,  elated 
writh  success,  were  recruiting  their  strength,  to 
break  forth  with  new  vigor  upon  the  settlements 
in  the  early  spring. 

The  commissioners  of  the  united  colonies 
deliberated  long  and  anxiously.  The  all-im- 
portant question  was  whether  it  were  best  to 
adopt  the  desperate  enterprise  of  attacking  the 
Narraganset  fort  in  the  dead  of  winter,  or  wheth- 
er they  should  defer  active  hostilities  until 
spring.  Should  they  defer,  the  warriors  'now 
collected  upon  one  spot  would  scatter  every 
where  in  the  work  of  destruction.  The  Narra- 
gansets,  who  had  not  as  yet  engaged  openly  in 
the  conflict,  would  certainly  lend  all  their  ener- 
gies to  King  Philip.  Another  year  of  disaster 


1675.J        WINTER   CAMPAIGN.  239 

Arguments  pro  and  con.  The  Indians  to  be  attacked. 

^md  blood  might  thus  be  confidently  antici- 
pated. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  severity  of  the  winter 
was  such  that  a  whole  army,  houseless,  on  the 
march,  might  perish  in  a  single  night.  Storms 
of  snow  often  arose,  encumbering  the  ground 
with  such  drifts  and  masses  that  it  might  be 
<juite  impossible  to  force  a  march  through  the 
pathless  expanse. 

But,  in  view  of  all  the  circumstances,  it  was 
at  length  decided  best  to  make  the  attack.  A 
thousand  men  were  to  be  raised.  Of  these, 
Massachusetts  contributed  five  hundred  and 
twenty-seven.  Plymouth  furnished  one  hund- 
red and  fifty-eight.  Connecticut  supplied  three 
hundred  and  fifteen,  and  also  sent  one  hundred 
and  fifty  Mohegaii  Indians.  Josiah  Winslow, 
governor  of  the  Plymouth  colony,  was  appoint- 
ed commander-in-chief.  The  choicest  officers 
in  the  colonies  were  selected,  and  the  men  who 
rilled  the  ranks  were  all  chosen  from  those  of 
established  reputation  for  physical  vigor  and 
bravery.  All  were  aware  of  the  perilous  nature 
of  the  enterprise.  In  consequence  of  the  depth 
of  the  snow,  it  would  probably  be  impossible  to 
send  any  succor  to  the  troops  by  land  in  case 
of  reverse.  "  It  was  a  humbling  providence  of 


240  KING   PHILIP. 

A  day  of  fasting.  John  Woodcock.  Mode  of  collecting  debts. 

God,"  wrote  the  commissioners,  "  that  put  his 
poor  people  to  be  meditating  a  matter  of  war  at 
such  a  season."  The  second  of  December  was 
appointed  as  a  solemn  fast  to  implore  God's  aid 
upon  the  enterprise. 

The  Massachusetts  troops  rendezvoused  at 
Dedham,  and  on  the  morning  of  the  9th  of  De- 
cember commenced  their  march.  They  ad- 
vanced that  day  twenty-seven  miles,  to  the  gar- 
rison house  of  John  Woodcock,  within  the  lim- 
its of  the  present  town  of  Attleborough.  Wood- 
cock kept  a  sort  of  tavern  at  what  was  called 
the  Ten  Mile  River,  which  tavern  he  was  en- 
joined by  the  court  to  "  keep  in  good  order, 
that  no  unruliness  or  ribaldry  be  permitted 
there  "  He  was  a  man  of  some  consequence, 
energetic,  reckless,  and  not  very  scrupulous  in 
regard  to  the  rights  of  the  Indians.  An  Indian 
owed  him  some  money.  As  Woodcock  could 
not  collect  the  debt,  he  paid  himself  by  going 
into  the  Indian's  house  and  taking  his  child  and 
some  goods.  For  this  crime  he  was  sentenced 
to  sit  in  the  stocks  at  Rehoboth  during  a  tram- 
ing  day,  and  to  pay  a  tine  of  forty  shillings. 

At  this  garrison  house  the  troops  encamped 
for  the  night,  and  the  next  day  they  advanced 
to  Seekonk,  and  were  ferried  across  the  river  to 


1675.]       WINTER   CAMPAIGN.  241 

March  of  the  array.  Sk  inn  inhcs.  Fortifications  of  the  Indians. 

Providence.  On  the  morning  of  the  twelfth 
they  resumed  their  march,  and  followed  down 
the  western  shore  of  the  bay  until  they  arrived 
at  the  garrison  house  of  Mr.  Smith,  in  the  pres- 
ent town  of  Wickford,  which  was  appointed  as 
their  head-quarters.  Here,  in  the  course  of  a 
few  days,  the  Connecticut  companies,  marching 
from  Stonington,  and  the  Plymouth  companies 
were  united  with  them.  As  the  troops  were 
assembling,  several  small  parties  had  skirmisher 
with  roving  bands  of  Indians,  in  which  a. few 
were  slain  on  both  sides.  A  few  settlers  had 
reared  their  huts  along  the  western  shores  ot 
the  bay,  but  the  Indians,  aware  of  the  approach 
of  their  enemies,  had  burned  their  houses,  and 
the  inhabitants  were  either  killed  or  dispersed. 
Nearly  the  whole  region  was  now  a  wilder- 
ness. 

The  Indians,  three  thousand  in  number,  were 
strongly  intrenched,  as  we  have  before  mention- 
ed, in  a  swamp,  which  was  in  South  Kingston, 
about  eighteen  miles  distant  from  the  encamp- 
ment of  the  colonists.  It  is  uncertain  whether 
Philip  was  in  the  fort  or  not ;  the  testimony 
upon  that  point  is  contradictory.  The  proba- 
bility, however,  is  that  he  was  present,  sharing 

in  the  sanguinary  scene  which  ensued. 

2—16 


242  KING  PHILIP.  [1675. 

The  Indian  fort.  Deplorable  condition  of  the  colonists. 

The  swamp  was  of  immense  extent  and 
quite  impenetrable,  except  through  two  or  three 
paths  known  only  to  the  Indians.  In  the  cen- 
tre of  the  swamp  there  were  three  or  four  acres 
of  dry  land,  a  few  feet  higher  than  the  surround- 
ing morass.  Here  Philip  had  erected  his  houses, 
five  hundred  in  number,  and  had  built  them  of 
materials  far  more  solid  and  durable  than  the  In- 
dians were  accustomed  to  use,  so  that  they  were 
quite  bullet-proof.  They  were  all  surrounded 
by  a  high  palisade.  In  this  strong  encampment, 
in  friendly  alliance  with  the  Narragansets,  Philip 
and  his  exultant  warriors  had  been  maturing 
their  plans  to  make  a  terrible  assault  upon  all 
the  English  settlements  in  the  spring.  Wheth- 
er Philip  was  present  or  not  when  the  tort  was 
attacked,  his  genius  reared  the  fortress  and 
nerved  the  arms  of  its  defenders. 

The  condition  of  the  colonial  army  seemed 
now  deplorable.  Their  provisions  were  nearly 
consumed,  and  they  could  hardly  hope  for  any 
supply  except  such  as  they  could  capture  from 
the  savages.  They  knew  nothing  of  the  en- 
trances to  the  swamp,  and  were  entirely  un- 
acquainted with  the  nature  of  the  fortification 
and  the  points  most  available  for  attack.  The 
ground  was  covered  with  snow,  and  they 


1675.]       WINTER   CAMPAIGN.  243 

A  fr  endly  traitor.  Terrible  march. 

huddled  around  the  camp-fires  by  night,  with 
no  shelter  from  the  inclemency  of  frost  and 
storm. 

The  morning  of  the  19th  dawned  cold  and 
gloomy.  The  supper  of  the  previous  night  had 
utterly  exhausted  their  stores.  At  break  of 
day  they  commenced  their  march.  A  storm 
was  then  raging,  and  the  air  was  filled  with 
snow.  But  for  the  treachery  of  one  of  Philip's 
Indians,  they  would  probably  have  been  routed 
in  the  attack  and  utterly  destroyed.  A  Nar- 
raganset  Indian,  who,  for  some  cause,  had  be- 
come enraged  against  his  countrymen,  deserted 
their  cause,  and,  entering  the  camp  of  the  colo- 
nists, acted  as  their  guide. 

Early  in  the  afternoon  of  the  cold,  short,  and 
stormy  winter's  day,  the  troops,  unrefreshed  by 
either  breakfast  or  dinner,  after  a  march  of  eight- 
een miles,  arrived  at  the  borders  of  the  swamp. 
An  almost  impenetrable  forest,  tangled  with  ev- 
ery species  of  underbrush,  spread  over  the  bog, 
presenting  the  most  favorable  opportunity  for  am- 
buscades, and  all  the  stratagems  of  Indian  war- 
fare. The  English,  struggling  blindly  through 
the  morass,  would  have  found  themselves  in  a 
helpless  condition,  and  exposed  at  every  point 
to  the  bullets  of  an  unseen  foe.  The  destruc- 


244  KING  PHILIP.  [1H75. 

Kntranoe  to  the  swamp.  Appearance  of  the  fort. 

tion  of  this  army  would  have  so  einboldened  the 
savages  and  paralyzed  the  English  that  every 
settlement  of  the  colonists  might  have  been 
swept  away  in  an  inundation  of  blood  and  flame. 
The  fate  of  the  New  England  colonies  trembled 
in  the  balance. 

The  Narraganset  deserter  guided  them  to  the 
entrance  of  a  narrow  and  intricate  foot-path 
which  led  to  the  island.  The  Indians,  watch- 
ing their  approach,  were  lying  in  ambush  upon 
the  edge  of  the  swamp.  They  fired  upon  the 
advancing  files,  arid  retreated.  The  English, 
returning  the  lire,  vigorously  pursued.  Led  by 
their  guide,  they  soon  arrived  at  the  fort.  It 
presented  a  formidable  aspect.  In  addition  to 
the  palisades,  a  hedge  of  fallen  trees  a  rod  in 
thickness  surrounded  the  whole  intrenchment ; 
outside  the  hedge  there  was  a  ditch  wide  and 
<leep.  There  was  but  one  point  of  entrance, 
and  that  was  over  the  long  and  slender  trunk 
of  a  tree  which  had  been  felled  across  the  ditch, 
and  rested  at  its  farther  end  upon  a  wall  of 
logs  three  or  four  feet  high.  A  block-house, 
at  whose  portals  many  sharp-shooters  were  sta- 
tioned in  vigilant  guard,  commanded  the  narrow 
and  slippery  avenu.e.  It  was  thus  necessary  for 
the  English,  in  storming  the  fort,  to  pass  in 


1675.]        WINTER   CAMPAIGN.  245 

Fearless  bravery.  Terrible  slaughter.  An  entrance  effected. 

single  file  along  this  slender  stem,  exposed  ev- 
ery step  of  the  way  to  the  muskets  of  the  In- 
dians. Every  soldier  at  once  perceived  that 
the  only  hope  for  the  army  was  in  the  energies 
of  despair. 

There  is  no  incident  recorded  in  the  annals 
of  war  which  testifies  to  more  reckless  fearless- 
ness than  that  which  our  ancestors  displayed 
on  this  occasion.  The  approaches  to  the  Mal- 
akoff  and  the  Redan  were  not  attended  with 
greater  peril.  Without  waiting  a  moment  to 
reconnoitre  or  for  those  in  the  rear  to  come  up, 
the  Massachusetts  troops,  who  were  in  the  *ran, 
made  a  rush  to  cross  the  tree.  They  were  in- 
stantly swept  off  by  Philip's  sharp-shooters. 
Again  and  again  the  English  soldiers,  led  by 
their  captains,  rushed  upon  the  fatal  bridge  to 
supply  the  places  of  the  slain,  but  they  only 
presented  a  fair  target  for  the  foe,  and  they  fell 
as  grass  before  the  scythe.  In  a  few  moments 
six  captains  and  a  large  number  of  common 
soldiers  were  dead  or  dying  in  the  ditch.  The 
assaulting  party,  in  dismay,  were  beginning  to 
recoil  before  certain  death,  when,  by  some  un- 
explained means,  a  bold  party  succeeded  in 
wading  through* the  ditch  at  another  place,  and, 
clambering  through  the  hedge  of  trees  and  over 


246  KING   PHILIP.  [1675. 

Capture  of  the  fort.  A  scene  of  carnage. 

the  palisades,  with  great  shoutings  they  assail- 
ed the  defenders  of  the  one  narrow  pass  in  the 
rear.  • 

The  Indians,  in  consternation,  were  for  a  mo- 
ment bewildered,  and  knew  not  which  way  to 
turn.  The  English,  instantly  availing  them- 
selves of  the  panic,  made  another  rush,  and  suc- 
ceeded in  forcing  an  entrance.  A  hand  to  hand 
fight  ensued  of  almost  unparalleled  ferocity ; 
but  the  English,  with  their  long  swords,  hewed 
down  the  foe  with  immense  slaughter,  and  soon 
got  possession  of  the  breastwork  which  com- 
manded the  entrance.  A  passage  was  immedi- 
ately cut  through  the  palisades,  and  the  whole 
army  poured  in. 

The  interior  was  a  large  Indian  village,  con- 
taining five  hundred  houses,  stored  with  a  great 
abundance  of  corn,  and  crowded  with  women 
and  children.  An  awful  scene  of  carnage  now 
ensued.  Though  the  savages  fought  with  the 
utmost  fury,  they  could  oppose  no  successful 
resistance  to  the  disciplined  courage  of  the  En- 
glish. Flying  from  wigwam  to  wigwam,  men, 
women,  and  children  were  struck  down  without 
mercy.  The  exasperated  colonists  regarded  the 
children  but  as  young  serpents  of  a  venomous 
brood,  and  they  were  pitilessly  knocked  in  the 


1675.]        WINTER  CAMPAIGN.  249 

Continuance  of  the  battle.  The  houses  fired. 

head.  The  women  they  shot  as  readily  as  they 
would  the  dam  of  the  wolf  or  the  bear.  It  was 
a  day  of  vengeance,  and  awfully  did  retribution 
fall.  The  shrieks  of  women  and  children  blend- 
ed fearfully  with  the  rattle  of  musketry  and  the 
cry  of  onset.  For  four  hours  the  terrible  battle 
raged.  The  snow  which  covered  the  ground 
was  now  crimsoned  with  blood,  and  strewed 
with  the  bodies  of  the  slain. 

The  battle  was  so  fierce,  and  the  defense  so 
•determined  and  prolonged,  the  Indians  flying 
from  wigwam  to  wigwam,  and  taking  deadly 
aim  at  the  English  from  innumerable  places  of 
concealment,  that  at  length  the  assailants  were 
driven  to  the  necessity  of  setting  fire  to  the 
houses.  They  resorted  to  this  measure  with 
great  reluctance,  since  they  needed  the  shelter 
of  the  houses  after  the  battle  for  their  own  re- 
freshment in  their  utterly  exhausted  state,  and 
since  there  were  large  quantities  of  corn  stored 
in  the  houses  in  hollow  trees,  cut  off  about  the 
length  of  a  barrel,  which  would  be  entirely  con- 
sumed by  the  conflagration.  But  there  was  no 
alternative  ;  the  torch  was  applied,  and  in  a  few 
moments  five  hundred  buildings  were  in  flames. 

No  language  can  describe  the  scene  which 
row  ensued.  The  awful  tragedy  of  the  Pequot 


250  KING  PHILIP.  [1675. 

Flight  of  the  Indians.  Helplessness  of  the  English. 

fort  was  here  renewed  upon  a  scale  of  still  more 
terrific  grandeur.  Old  men,  women,  and  chil- 
dren, no  one  can  tell  how  many,  perished  mis- 
erably in  the  wasting  conflagration.  The  sur- 
viving warriors,  utterly  discomfited,  leaped  the 
flaming  palisades  arid  fled  into  the  swamp. 
But  even  here  they  kept  up  an  incessant  and 
deadly  fire  upon  the  victors,  many  of  whom  were 
shot  after  they  had  gained  entire  possession  of 
the  fort.  The  terrible  conflict  had  now  lasted 
four  hours.  Eighty  of  the  colonists  had  been 
killed  outright,  and  one  hundred  and  fifty 
wounded,  many  of  whom  subsequently  died. 
Seven  hundred  Indian  warriors  were  slain,  and 
many  hundred  wounded,  of  whom  three  hund- 
red soon  died. 

The  English  were  now  complete  masters  of 
the  fort,  but  it  was  a  fort  no  longer.  The 
whole  island  of  four  acres,  houses,  palisades, 
and  hedge,  was  but  a  glowing  furnace  of  roar- 
ing, crackling  flame.  The  houses  were  so  ex- 
ceedingly combustible  that  in  an  hour  they 
were  consumed  to  ashes.  The  English,  unpro- 
tected upon  the  island,  were  thus  exposed  to 
every  shot  from  the  vanquished  foe,  who  were 
skulking  behind  the  trees  in  the  swamp. 

Night  was  now  darkening  over  this  dismal 


1675.J        WINTER  CAMPAIGN.  251 

Necessity  for  a  retreat.  A  second  retreat  from  Moscow. 

scene,  a  cold,  stormy  winter's  night.  The 
flames  of  the  blazing  palisades  and  hedge  ena- 
bled the  savages,  who  were  filling  the  forest 
with  their  howlings  of  rage,  to  take  a  surer  aim, 
while  they  themselves  were  concealed  in  impen- 
etrable darkness.  It  was  greatly  feared  that 
the  Indians,  still  much  more  numerous  than 
their  exhausted  assailants,  might,  in  the  night, 
make  another  onset  to  regain  their  lost  ground. 
Indeed,  the  bullets  were  still  falling  thickly 
around  them  as  the  Indians,  prowling  from  hum- 
mock to  hummock,  kept  up  a  deadly  fire,  and  it 
was  necessary,  at  all  hazards,  to  escape  from  so 
perilous  a  position.  It  was  another  conquest 
of  Moscow.  In  the  hour  of  the  most  exultant 
victory,  the  conquerors  saw  before  them  but  a 
vista  of  terrible  disaster.  After  a  few  moments' 
consultation,  a  precipitate  retreat  from  the 
swarnp  was  decided  to  be  absolutely  necessary. 
The  colonists  had  marched  in  the  morning, 
breakfastless,  eighteen  miles,  over  the  frozen, 
snow-covered  ground.  Without  any  dinner, 
they  had  entered  upon  one  of  the  most  toilsome 
and  deadly  of  conflicts,  and  had  continued  to 
struggle  against  intrenched  and  outnumbering 
foes  for  four  hours.  And  now,  cold,  exhaust- 
ed, and  starving,  in  the  darkness  of  a  stormy 


252  KING   PHILIP.  [1675. 

Horrors  of  the  night.  Want  of  provisions. 

night,  they  were  to  retreat  through  an  almost 
pathless  swamp,  bearing  in  their  arms  one  hund- 
red and  fifty  of  their  bleeding  and  dying  com- 
panions. There  was  no  place  of  safety  for 
them  until  they  should  arrive  at  their  head- 
quarters of  the  preceding  night,  upon  the  shores 
of  Narraganset  Bay,  eighteen  miles  distant. 

The  horrors  of  that  midnight  retreat  can  nev- 
er be  told ;  they  are  hardly  surpassed  by  the 
tragedy  at  Borodino.  The  wind  blew  fiercely 
through  the  tree-tops,  and  swept  the  bleak  and 
drifted  plains  as  the  troops  toiled  painfully 
along,  breasting  the  storm,  and  stumbling  in 
exhaustion  over  the  concealed  inequalities  of 
the  ground.  Most  fortunately  for  them,  the 
savages  made  no  pursuit.  Many  of  the  wound- 
ed died  by  the  way.  Others,  tortured  by  the 
freezing  of  their  unbandaged  wounds,  and  by 
the  grating  of  their  splintered  bones  as  they 
were  hurried  along,  shrieked  aloud  in  their  ag- 
ony. It  was  long  after  midnight  before  they 
reached  their  encampment.  But  even  here  they 
had  not  a  single  biscuit.  Vessels  had  been  dis- 
patched from  Boston  with  provisions,  which 
should  have  arrived  long  before  at  this  point, 
which  was  their  designated  rendezvous.  But 
these  vessels  had  been  driven  into  Cape  Cod 


1675.J        WINTER  CAMPAIGN.  252 

Disappointment  at  not  finding  food.  Arrival  of  a  vessel. 

harbor  by  a  storm.  The  same  storm  had  driven 
in  immense  masses  of  ice,  and  for  many  days 
they  were  hopelessly  blocked  up.  Suffering  ex- 
cessively from  this  disappointment,  the  soldiers 
marched  to  the  assault,  hoping,  in  the  capture 
of  the  fort,  to  find  food  stored  up  amply  suffi- 
cient to  supply  the  whole  army  until  the  spring 
of  the  year,  and  also  to  find  good  warm  houses 
where  they  all  might  be  lodged.  The  confla- 
gration, to  which  they  were  compelled  to  resort, 
had  blighted  all  these  hopes,  and  now,  though 
victorious,  they  were  perishing  in  the  wilder- 
ness of  cold  and  hunger. 

The  storm,  during  the  night,  increased  in 
fury,  and  the  snow,  in  blinding,  smothering 
sheets,  filled  the  air,  and,  in  the  course  of  the 
ensuing  day,  covered  the  ground  to  such  a 
•depth  that  for  several  weeks  the  army  was  un- 
able to  move  in  any  direction.  But  on  that 
very  morning,  freezing  and  tempestuous,  in 
which  despair  had  seized  upon  every  heart,  a 
vessel  was  seen  approaching,  buffeting  the  icy 
waves  of  the  bay.  It  was  one  of  the  vessels 
from  Boston,  laden  with  provisions  for  the  army. 
Joy  succeeded  to  despair.  Prayers  and  praises 
ascended  from  grateful  hearts,  and  hymns  of 
thanksgiving  resounded  through  the  dim  aisles 
of  thf,  fovost. 


254  KING  PHILIP.  [1675. 

Winter  quarters.  Building  a  village. 


CHAPTEB   VIII. 
MRS.  ROWLANDSON'S  CAPTIVITY. 


little  army  was  now  supplied  with  food, 
-•-  but  the  vast  masses  of  snow  extending 
every  where  around  them  through  the  pathless 
wilderness  rendered  it  impossible  to  move  in 
any  direction.  The  forest  afforded  ample  ma- 
terials for  huts  and  fuel.  A  busy  village  speed- 
ily arose  upon  the  shores  of  the  frozen  bay. 
Many  of  the  wounded  were,  for  greater  safety 
and  comfort,  sent  to  the  island  of  Rhode  Isl- 
and, where  they  were  carefully  nursed  in  the 
dwellings  of  the  colonists.  In  their  encamp- 
ment at  Wickford,  as  the  region  is  now  called, 
the  soldiers  remained  several  weeks,  blockaded 
by  storms  and  drifts,  waiting  for  a  change  of 
weather.  It  was  a  season  of  unusual  severity, 
and  the  army  presented  a  spectacle  resembling, 
upon  a  small  scale,  that  of  the  mighty  hosts  of 
^apoleon  afterward  encamped  among  the  for- 
ests of  the  Vistula  —  a  scene  of  military  energy 
which  arrested  the  gaze  and  elicited  the  aston- 
ishment of  all  Europe. 


MRS.  ROWLANDSON'S   CAPTIVITY.  255 


Indignation  of  the  Indians.  The  Narragansets  disheartened. 

As  the  English  evacuated  the  Indian  fort,  the 
warriors  who  had  escaped  into  the  swamp  re- 
turned to  their  smouldering  wigwams  and  to  the 
mangled  bodies  of  their  wives  and  children, 
overwhelmed  with  indignation,  rage,  and  de- 
spair. The  storm  of  war  had  come  and  gone, 
and  awful  was  the  ruin  which  it  had  left  behind. 
The  Rev.  Mr.  Ruggles,  recording  the  horrors  of 
the  destruction  of  the  Narraganset  fort,  writes: 

"  The  burning  of  the  wigwams,  the  shrieks 
and  cries  of  the  women  and  children,  and  the 
yells  of  the  warriors,  exhibited  a  most  horrible 
and  affecting  scene,  so  that  it  greatly  moved 
some  of  the  soldiers.  They  were  in  much 
doubt  then,  and  often  very  seriously  inquired 
whether  burning  their  enemies  alive  could  be 
consistent  with  humanity  and  the  benevolent 
principles  of  the  Gospel." 

The  Narragansets,  who  were  associated  with 
the  warriors  of  Philip  in  this  conflict,  and  in 
whose  territory  the  battle  had  been  fought,  were 
exceedingly  disheartened.  This  experience  of 
the  terrible  power  and  vengeance  of  the  En- 
glish appalled  them,  and  they  were  quite  dis- 
posed to  abandon  Philip.  But  the  great  Wam- 
panoag  chief  was  not  a  man  to  yield  to  adversi- 
ty. This  calamity  only  nerved  him  to  more 


256  KING   PHILIP  [1675, 

Determination  of  Philip.  Diplomacy.  A  new  fort. 

undying  resolution  and  to  deeds  of  more  des- 
perate daring.  He  had  still  about  two  thou- 
sand warriors  around  him,  but,  being  almost 
entirely  destitute  of  provisions,  they  for  a  time 
suffered  incredibly. 

To^  gain  time,  Philip  sent  deputies  to  the 
English  commander-in-chief  to  treat  of  peace. 
The  colonists  met  these  advances  with  the  ut- 
most cordiality,  for  there  was  nothing  which 
they  more  earnestly  desired  than  to  live  on 
friendly  terms  with  the  Indians.  War  was  to 
them  only  impoverishment  and  woe.  They  had 
'nothing  to  gain  by  strife.  It  was,  however, 
soon  manifest  that  Philip  was  but  trifling,  and 
that  he  had  no  idea  of  burying  the  hatchet. 
While  the  wary  chieftain  was  occupying  the 
colonists  with  all  the  delays  of  diplomacy,  he 
was  energetically  constructing  another  fort  in  a 
swamp  about  twenty  miles  distant,  where  he 
was  again  collecting  his  forces,  and  all  the  ma- 
terials of  barbarian  warfare.  In  this  fortress, 
within  the  territorial  limits  of  the  Nipmuck  In- 
dians, he  also  assembled  a  feeble  train  of  wom- 
en and  children,  the  fragments  of  his  slaugh- 
tered families.  The  Nipmuck  tribe,  then  quite 
powerful,  occupied  the  region  now  included  in 
the  southeast  corner  of  Worcester  county. 


MRS.  ROWLANDSON'S   CAPTIVITY.  257 

A  new  army  raised.  Sufferings  of  the  troopa. 

Hardly  a  ray  of  civilization  had  penetrated 
this  portion  of  the  country.  The  gloomy  wil- 
derness frowned  every  where  around,  pathless 
and  savage.  From  the  tangled  morass  in  which 
he  reared  his  wigwams  he  dispatched  runners 
in  all  directions,  to  give  impulse  to  the  torrent 
of  conflagration  and  blood  with  which  he  in- 
tended to  sweep  the  settlements  in  the  spring. 

It  was  now  manifest  that  there  could  be  no 
hope  of  peace.  An  army  of  a  thousand  men, 
early  in  January,  was  dispatched  from  Boston 
to  re-enforce  the  encampment  at  Wickford. 
Their  march,  in  the  dead  of  winter,  over  the 
bleak  and  frozen  hills,  was  slow,  and  their  suf- 
ferings were  awful.  Eleven  men  were  frozen 
to  death  by  the  way,  and  a  large  number  were 
severely  frostbitten.  Immediately  after  their 
arrival  there  came  a  remarkable  thaw.  The 
snow  nearly  all  disappeared,  and  the  ground 
was  flooded  with  water.  This  thaw  was  life  to 
the  Indians.  It  enabled  them  to  traverse  the 
forests  freely,  and  to  gather  ground-nuts,  upon 
which  they  were  almost  exclusively  dependent 
for  subsistence. 

The  army  at  Wickford  now  numbered  six- 
teen hundred.  They  decided  upon  a  rapid 
march  to  attack  Philip  again  in  his  new  in- 
2—17 


•258  KING  PHILIP.  [1676. 


Two  naties  for  the  Indians.  Their  degraded  nature. 

trencliments.  There  were  friendly  Indians, 
.as  the  English  called  them — traitors,  as  they 
were  called  by  King  Philip — who  were  ever 
ready  to  guide  the  colonists  to  the  haunts  of 
their  countrymen.  There  were  individual  In- 
dians who  had  pride  of  character  and  great  no- 
bility of  nature — men  who,  through  their  vir- 
tues, are  venerated  even  by  the  race  which  has 
supplanted  their  tribes.  They  had  their  Wash- 
ingtons,  their  Franklins,  and  their  Howards. 
But  Indian  nature  is  human  nature,  with  all  its 
frailty  and  humiliation.  The  great  mass  of 
the  common  Indians  were  low  and  degraded 
men.  Almost  any  of  them  were  ready  for  a 
price,  and  that  an  exceedingly  small  one,  to  be- 
tray their  nearest  friends. 

An  Indian  would  sometimes  be  taken  pris- 
oner, and  immediately,  in  the  continuance  of 
the  same  battle,  with  his  musket  still  hot  from 
the  conflict,  he  would  guide  the  English  to  the 
retreats  of  his  friends,  and  engage,  apparently 
with  the  greatest  zeal,  in  firing  upon  them.  In 
the  narrative  given  by  Colonel  Benjamin 
Church,  one  of  the  heroes  of  these  wars,  he 
writes,  speaking  of  himself  in  the  third  person, 

"  When  he  took  any  number  of  prisoners,  he 
would  pick  out  some,  and  tell  them  that  he  took 


MES.  ROWLANDSON'S   CAPTIVITY.  259 

Colonel  Benjamin's  mode  of  making  proselytes. 

a  particular  fancy  to  them,  and  had  chosen  them 
for  himself  to  make  soldiers  of,  and  if  any  would 
behave  themselves  well  he  would  do  well  by 
them,  and  they  should  be  his  men,  and  not  sold 
out  of  the  country. 

"  If  he  perceived  they  looked  surly,  and  his 
Indian  soldiers  called  them  treacherous  dogs, 
as  some  of  them  would  sometimes  do,  all  the 
notice  he  would  take  of  it  would  only  be  to 
clap  them  on  the  back  and  say,  '  Come,  come, 
you  look  wild  and  surly,  and  mutter ;  but  that 
signifies  nothing.  These,  my  soldiers,  were  a 
little  while  ago  as  wild  and  surly  as  you  are 
now.  By  the  time  you  have  been  one  day  with 
me,  you  will  love  me  too,  and  be  as  brisk  as 
any  of  them.' 

"And  it  proved  so;  for  there  was  none  of 
them  but,  after  they  had  been  a  little  while  with 
him,  and  seen  his  behavior,  and  how  cheerful 
and  successful  his  men  were,  would  be  as  ready 
to  pilot  him  to  any  place  where  the  Indians 
dwelt  or  haunted,  though  their  own  fathers  or 
nearest  relations  should  be  among  them,  as  any 
of  his  own  men." 

Such  a  character  we  can  not  but  despise,  and 
yet  such,  with  exceptions,  was  the  character  of 
the  common  Indian.  That  magnanimity  which. 


260  KING   PHILIP.  [1676. 

Vhilip  betrayed.  His  flight.  Return  of  the  troopu. 

#t  times  has  shed  immortal  brilliance  upon  hu- 
manity is  a  rare  virtue,  even  in  civilized  life  $ 
in  the  savage  it  is  still  more  rare. 

Philip,  in  the  retreat  to  which  he  had  now 
escaped,  was  again  betrayed  by  one  of  his  ren- 
egade countrymen.  The  English,  numbering 
sixteen  hundred,  immediately  resumed  active 
hostilities,  and  after  having  ravaged  the  country 
<lirectly  around  them,  burning  some  wigwams, 
putting  some  Indians  to  death,  and  taking  many 
captives,  broke  up  their  encampment  and  com- 
menced their  march.  It  was  early  in  February 
that  Major  Winslow  put  his  army  in  motion  to 
pursue  Philip.  As  the  English  drew  near  the 
swamp,  Philip,  conscious  of  his  inability  to  op- 
pose so  formidable  a  force,  immediately  set  his 
wigwams  on  fire,  and,  with  all  his  warriors, 
disappeared  in  the  depths  of  the  wilderness. 
As  it  was  entirely  uncertain  in  what  direction 
the  savages  would  emerge  from  the  forest  to 
kindle  anew  the  flames  of  war,  the  troops  re- 
traced their  steps  toward  Boston.  The  Con- 
necticut soldiers  had  already  returned  to  their 
homes. 

On  the  10th  of  February,  1676,  the  Indians, 
with  whoop  and  yell,  burst  from  the  forest  upon 
the  beautiful  settlement  of  Lancaster.  This 


MRS.  ROWLANDSON'S   CAPTIVITY.  261 

Attack  on  Lancaster.  Precautions  to  guard  against  surprise, 

was  one  of  the  most  remote  of  the  frontier 
towns,  some  fifty  miles  west  of  Boston,  on  the 
Nashua  River.  The  plantation,  ten  miles  in 
length  and  eight  in  breadth,  had  been  purchased 
of  the  Nashaway  Indians,  with  the  stipulation 
that  the  English  should  not  molest  the  Indians 
in  their  hunting,  fishing,  or  planting  places. 
For  several  years  the  colonists  and  the  Indians 
lived  together  in  entire  harmony,  mutually  ben- 
efiting each  other.  There  were  between  fifty 
and  sixty  families  in  the  town,  embracing  near- 
ly three  hundred  inhabitants.  They  had  no- 
ticed some  suspicious  circumstances  on  the  part 
of  the  Indians  who  were  dwelling  around  them,, 
and  they  had  sent  their  pastor,  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Rowlandson,  to  Boston,  to  seek  assistance  for 
the  defense  of  the  town.  He  had  taken  the 
precaution  before  he  left  to  convert  his  house 
into  a  bullet-proof  fortress,  and  had  garrisoned 
it  for  the  protection  of  his  family  during  his  ab- 
sence. 

The  savages,  fifteen  hundred  in  number,  dur- 
ing the  darkness  of  the  night  stationed  them- 
selves at  different  points,  from  whence  they 
could,  at  an  appointed  signal,  attack  the  town 
at  the  same  moment  in  five  different  quarters. 
There  were  less  than  a  hundred  persons  in  the 


262  KING  PHILIP.  [1676. 


The  torch  applied.  Massacre  of  the  inhabitants. 

town  capable  of  bearing  arms,  the  remainder 
being  women  and  children.  The  savages  thus 
prepared  to  overpower  them  fifteen  to  one,  and, 
making  the  assault  by  surprise,  felt  sure  of  an 
easy  victory. 

Just  as  the  sun  was  rising  the  signal  was 
given.  In  an  instant  every  heart  was  congeal- 
ed with  terror  as  the  awful  war-whoop  resound- 
ed through  the  forest.  It  was  a  cold  winter's 
morning,  and  the  wind  swept  bleakly  over  the 
whitened  plains.  Every  house  was  immediate- 
ly surrounded,  the  torch  applied,  and,  as  the 
flames  drove  the  inmates  from  their  doors,  they 
fall  pierced  by  innumerable  bullets,  and  the 
tomahawk  and  the  scalping-knife  finished  the 
drendful  work.  There  were  several  garrison 
houses  in  the  town,  where  most  of  the  inhabit- 
ants had  taken  refuge,  and  where  they  were 
able,  for  a  time,  to  beat  off  their  assailants. 
All  who  were  not  thus  sheltered  immediately 
fell  into  the  hands  of  their  foes.  Between  fifty 
and  sixty  were  either  slain  or  taken  captive. 
The  unhappy  inmates  of  the  garrisons  looked 
out  through  their  port-holes  upon  the  conflagra- 
tion and  plunder  of  their  homes,  the  mutilated 
corpses  of  their  friends,  and  the  wretched  band 
of  captives  strongly  bound  and  awaiting  their 
fate. 


MRS.  ROWLANDSON'S  CAPTIVITY.  26l> 

Mr.  Kowlandson's  house.  Burning  the  building; 

There  were  forty-one  persons  in  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Rowlandson's  house.  They  all  defended  it  val- 
iantly, and  no  Indian  dared  expose  himself 
within  gun-shot  of  their  port-holes.  Still,  the 
savages,  in  a  body,  prepared  for  the  assault. 
The  house  was  situated  upon  the  brow  of  a  hill. 
Some  of  the  Indians  got  behind  the  hill,  others- 
filled  the  barn,  and  others  sheltered  themselves 
behind  stones  and  stumps,  and  any  other  breast- 
work, from  which  they  could  reach  the  house- 
with  their  bullets.  For  two  hours,  fifteen  hund- 
red savages  kept  up  an  incessant  firing,  aim- 
ing at  the  windows  and  the  port-holes.  Sever- 
al in  the  house  were  thus  wounded. 

After  many  unsuccessful  attempts  to  fire  the 
house,  they  at  length  succeeded  in  pushing  a 
cart  loaded  with  hay  and  other  combustible  ma- 
terials, all  in  flames,  against  the  rear  of  the 
house.  All  the  efforts  of  the  garrison  to  extin- 
guish the  fire  were  unavailing,  and  the  building 
was  soon  in  a  blaze.  As  the  flames  rapidly 
rolled  up  the  wall  and  over  the  roof,  the  sav- 
ages raised  shouts  of  exultation,  which  fell  as  a 
death-knell  upon  the  hearts  of  those  who  had 
now  no  alternative  but  to  be  consumed  in  the- 
flames  or  to  surrender  themselves  to  the  merci- 
less foe.  The  bullets  were  still  rattling  against 


204  KING  PHILIP.  [1676. 

The  inmates  shot.  Mrs.  Rowlandson  wounded. 

the  house,  and  fifteen  hundred  warriors  were 
greedily  watching  to  riddle  with  balls  any  one 
who  should  attempt  to  escape.  The  flames 
were  crackling  and  roaring  around  the  besieged, 
and  their  only  alternative  was  to  perish  in  the 
tire,  or  to  go  out  and  meet  the  bullet  and  the 
tomahawk  of  the  savage.  When  the  first  forks 
of  flame  touched  the  flesh,  goaded  by  torture  to 
delirium,  they  rushed  from  the  door.  A  wild 
whoop  of  triumph  rose  from  the  savages,  and, 
pouring  a  volley  of  bullets  upon  the  group,  they 
fell  upon  them  with  gleaming  knives. 

Many  were  instantly  killed  and  scalped.  All 
the  men  were  thus  massacred ;  twenty  of  the 
women  and  children  were  taken  captives.  Mrs. 
Rowlandson  had  two  children,  a  son  and  a 
daughter,  by  her  side,  and  another  daughter 
about  six  years  of  age,  sick  and  emaciate,  in  her 
arms.  Her  sister  was  also  with  her,  with  sev- 
eral children.  No  less  than  seventeen  of  Rev. 
Mr.  Rowlandson's  family  and  connections  were 
in  this  melancholy  group. 

As  many  dropped  dead  around  Mrs.  Row- 
landson, cut  down  by  the  storm  of  bullets,  one 
•bullet  pierced  her  side,  and  another  passed 
through  the  hand  and  the  bowels  of  the  sick 
cniid  she  held  in  her  arms.  One  of  her  sister's 


MRS.  ROWLANDSON'S   CAPTIVITY.  265 

Scalping  a  child.  Indian  bacchanals. 

children,  a  line  boy,  fell  helpless  upon  the 
ground,  having  his  thigh-bone  shattered  by  a 
ball.  A  sturdy  Indian,  seeing  that  the  poor 
child  was  thus  disabled,  buried  his  tomahawk 
in  his  brain  and  stripped  off  his  scalp.  The 
frantic  mother  rushed  toward  her  child,  when  a 
bullet  pierced  her  bosom,  and  she  fell  lifeless 
upon  his  mangled  corpse.  The  savages  imme- 
diately stripped  all  the  clothing  from  the  dead, 
and,  having  h'nished  their  work  of  conflagration 
and  plunder,  plunged  into  the  wilderness,  drag- 
ging their  wretched  captives  along  with  them. 
The  beautiful  town  was  left  in  ruins. 

The  victors,  with  shouts  of  exultation, 
marched  about  a  mile,  and  encamped  for  the 
night  upon  a  hill  which  overlooked  the  smoulder- 
ing dwellings  of  their  foes.  Here  was  enacted 
one  of  the  wildest  scenes  of  barbarian  baccha- 
nals. Enormous  fires  were  built,  which,  witli 
roaring,  crackling  flame,  illumined  for  leagues 
around  the  sombre  forest.  Fifteen  hundred 
savages,  delirious  with  victory,  and  prodigal  of 
their  immense  booty  of  oxen,  cows,  sheep,  swine, 
calves,  and  fowl,  reveled  in  such  a  feast  as  they 
had  hardly  dreamed  of  before.  Cattle  were 
roasted  whole  and  eagerly  devoured,  with  dances 
<ind  with  shouts  which  made  the  welkin  ring. 


266  KING   PHILIP.  [1676. 

Wastefulness  of  the  Indians.  Mrs.  Kowlandson's  narrative. 

With  wastefulness  characteristic  of  the  Indians, 
they  took  no  thought  for  the  morrow,  but  slaugh- 
tered the  animals  around  them  in  mere  reckless- 
ness, and,  when  utterly  satiated  with  the  ban- 
quet, the  ground  was  left  strewed  with  smoking 
and  savory  viands  sufficient  to  feed  an  army. 

The  night  was  cold  ;  the  ground  was  covered 
with  snow,  and  a  piercing  wind  swept  the  icy  em- 
inence. Mrs.  Rowlandson,  holding  her  Avounded 
and  moaning  child  in  her  arms,  and  with  the 
group  of  wretched  captives  around  her,  sat  dur- 
ing the  long  hours  of  the  dreadful  night,  shiv- 
ering with  cold,  appalled  at  the  awful  fate 
which  had  befallen  her  and  her  family,  and  en- 
deavoring in  vain  to  soothe  the  anguish  of  her 
dying  daughter.  "  This  was  the  dolefullest 
night,"  she  exclaims  in  her  affecting  narrative, 
"that  my  eyes  ever  saw.  Oh,  the  roaring  and 
singing,  dancing  and  yelling  of  those  black  crea- 
tures in  the  night,  which  made  the  place  a  lively 
resemblance  of  hell." 

The  next  morning  the  Indians  commenced 
their  departure  into  the  wilderness.  Mrs.  Row- 
landson toiled  along  on  foot,  with  her  dying 
child  in  her  arms.  The  poor  little  girl  was  in 
extreme  anguish,  and  often  cried  out  with  pain. 
At  length  the  mother  became  so  exhausted  that 


MRS.  EOWLANDSON'S   CAPTIVITY.  267 

Her  sufferings.  Hor  wounded  child. 

she  fell  fainting  to  the  ground.  The  Indians 
then  placed  her  upon  a  horse,  and  again  gave 
her  her  child  to  carry.  But  the  horse  was  fur- 
nished with  neither  saddle  nor  bridle,  and,  in 
going  down  a  steep  hill,  stumbled,  and  they  both 
were  thrown  over  his  neck.  This  incident  was 
greeted  by  the  savages  with  shouts  of  laughter. 
To  add  to  their  sufferings,  it  now  began  to  snow. 
All  the  day  long  the  storm  wailed  through  the 
tree-tops,  and  the  snow  was  sifted  down  upon 
their  path.  The  woe-stricken  captives  toiled 
along  until  night,  when  the  Indians  again  en- 
camped upon  the  open  ground. 

"And  now,"  writes  Mrs.  Rowlandson,  "I 
must  sit  in  the  snow  by  a  little  fire,  and  a  few 
boughs  behind  me,  with  my  sick  child  in  my 
lap,  and  calling  much  for  water,  being  now, 
through  the  wound,  fallen  into  a  violent  fever. 
My  own  wflund,  also,  growing  so  stiff  that  I 
could  scarce  sit  down  or  rise  up,  yet  so  it  must 
be  that  I  must  sit  all  this  cold  winter's  night 
upon  the  cold  snowy  ground,  with  my  sick  child 
in  my  arms,  looking  that  every  hour  would  be 
the  last  of  its  life,  and  having  no  Christian 
friend  near  me  either  to  comfort  or  help  me." 

In  the  morning  the  Indians  resumed  their 
journey,  marching,  as  was  their  custom,  in  sin- 


268  KIN  a   PHILIP.  [167G. 

Friendly  aid  f -oni  an  Indian.  Arrival  at  head-quarters. 

gle  file  through  trails  in  the  forest.  A  humane 
Indian  mounted  a  horse  and  took  Mrs.  Row- 
landson  and  her  child  behind  him.  All  the  day 
long  the  poor  little  sufferer  moaned  with  painy 
while  the  savages  were  constantly  threatening 
to  knock  the  child  in  the  head  if  she  did  not 
cease  her  moaning.  In  the  evening  they  ar- 
rived at  an  Indian  village  called  Wenimesset. 
Here,  upon  a  luxuriant  meadow  upon  the  banks 
of  the  River  Ware,  within  the  limits  of  the  pres- 
ent town  of  New  Braintree,  the  savages  had  es- 
tablished their  head-quarters.  It  was  about 
thirty-six  miles  from  Lancaster.  A  large  num- 
ber of  savages  were  assembled  at  this  place, 
and  they  remained  here  for  several  days,  gath- 
ering around  their  council  fires,  planning  new 
expeditions,  and  inflaming  their  passions  with 
war  dances  and  the  most  frantic  revels.  The 
Indians  treated  their  captives  with  comparative 
kindness.  No  violence  or  disrespect  was  offered 
to  thejr  persons.  They  reared  a  rude  wigwam 
for  Mrs.  Rowlandson,  where  she  sat  for  five  days 
and  nights  almost  alone,  watching  her  dying 
child.  At  last,  on  the  night  of  the  18th  of 
February,  the  little  sufferer  breathed  her  last, 
at  the  age  of  six  years  and  five  months.  The 
Indians  took  the  corpse  from  the  mother  and 


MKS.  ROWLAXDSON'S  CAPTIVITY.  271 

Mrs.  Rowlandson  a  slave.  Reciprocal  barbarity. 

buried   it,  and  then   allowed  her  to    see  the 
grave. 

When  Mrs.  Rowlandson  was  driven  from  the 
flames  of  her  dwelling,  a  Narraganset  Indian 
w.is  the  first  to  grasp  her ;  he  consequently 
claimed  her  as  his  property.  Her  children  were 
caught  by  different  savages,  and  thus  became 
the  slaves  of  their  captors.  The  Indians,  by 
the  law  of  retaliation,  were  perfectly  justified  in 
making  slaves  of  their  captives.  The  human 
mind  can  not  withhold  its  assent  from  the  just- 
ice of  the  verdict,  "  an  eye  for  an  eye,  and  a 
tooth  for  a  tooth."  The  English  made  all  their 
captives  slaves,  and  women  and  children  were 
sold  to  all  the  horrors  of  West  Indian  planta 
tion  bondage.  The  Narraganset  Indian  who 
owned  Mrs.  Rowlandson  soon  sold  her  to  a  cel- 
ebrated chieftain  named  Quinnapin,  a  Narra- 
ganset sachem,  who  had  married,  for  one  of  his 
three  wives,  Wetamoo,  of  whom  we  have  here- 
tofore spoken.  Quinnapin  is  represented  as  a 
"young,  lusty  sachem,  and  a  very  great  rogue." 
It  will  be  remembered  that  Wetamoo,  queen 
•of  the  Pocasset  Indians,  was  the  widow  of  Alex- 
ander and  sister  of  Wootonekanuske,  the  wife 
of  Philip.  The  English  clergyman's  wife  was 
assigned  to  Queen  Wetamoo  as  her  dressing- 


272  KING   PHILIP.  [1676, 

Actions  of  the  Christian  Indians.  Meeting  of  the  captive*. 

maid.  The  Indian  slaveholders  paid  but  little 
regard  to  family  relations.  Mrs.  Rowlandson's 
daughter  Mary  was  sold  for  a  gun  by  a.  pray- 
ing Indian,  who  first  chanced  to  grasp  her. 
The  Christian  Indians  joined  in  this  war  against 
the  whites,  and  shared  in  all  the  emoluments  of 
the  slave  traffic  which  it  introduced.  Mary  was 
ten  years  of  age,  a  child  of  cultured  mind  and 
lovely  character.  She  was  purchased  by  an  In- 
dian who  resided  in  the  town  where  the  Indian 
army  was  now  encamped.  When  the  poor 
slave  mother  met  her  slave  child,  Mary  was  so- 
overwhelmed  with  anguish  as  to  move  even  the 
sympathies  of  her  stoical  masters ;  their  several 
owners  consequently  forbade  their  meeting  any 
more. 

After  a  few  days,  the  warriors  scattered  on 
various  expeditions  of  devastation  and  blood. 
Mrs.  Rowlandson  was  left  at  Wenimesset.  Her 
days  and  nights  were  passed  in  lamentations, 
tears,  and  prayers.  One  morning,  quite  to  her 
surprise,  her  son  William  entered  her  wigwam, 
where  she  was  employed  by  her  mistress  in 
menial  services.  He  belonged  to  a  master  who 
resided  at  a  small  plantation  of  Indians  about 
six  miles  distant.  His  master  had  gone  with  a 
war  party  to  make  an  attack  upon  Medfield. 


MRS.  KOWLANDSON'S  CAPTIVITY.  273 

Return  of  the  warriors.  Exultation  of  the  Indians. 

and  his  mistress,  with  woman's  tender  heart, 
had  brought  him  to  see  his  mother.  The  inter- 
view was  short  and  full  of  anguish. 

The  next  day  the  Indians  returned  from  the  de- 
struction of  Medfield.  Their  approach  through, 
the  forest  was  heralded  by  the  most  demoniac 
roaring  and  whooping,  as  the  whole  savage  band 
thus  announced  their  victory.  All  the  Indians 
in  the  little  village  assembled  to  meet  them. 
The  warriors  had  slain  twenty  of  the  English,, 
and  brought  home  several  captives  and  many 
scalps.  Each  one  told  his  story,  and  recapit- 
ulated the  numbers  of  the  slain  ;  and,  at  the 
close  of  each  narrative,  the  whole  multitude, 
with  the  most  frantic  gestures,  set  up  a  shout 
which  echoed  far  and  wide  over  mountain  and 
valley. 

There  were  now  at  Wenimesset  nine  cap- 
tives, Mrs.  Rowlandson,  Mrs.  Joslin,  and  seven 
children  from  different  families.  Mrs.  Joslin 
had  an  infant  two  years  old  in  her  arms,  and 
was  expecting  every  hour  to  give  birth  to  anoth- 
er child. 

The  Indians  now  deemed  it  necessary  to 
move  farther  into  the  wilderness.  The  poor 
woman,  in  her  deplorable  condition,  did  nothing 
but  weep,  and  the  Indians,  deeming  her  an  in- 

2—18 


274  KING  PHILIP.  [1676. 

A  captive  murdered.  '     •  Journey  to  the  interior. 

cumbrance,  resolved  to  get  rid  of  her.  They 
placed  her  upon  the  ground  with  her  child,  di- 
vested her  entirely  of  clothing,  and  for  an  hour 
sang  and  danced  around  their  victim  witli  wild- 
est exultation.  One  then  approached  and  bur- 
ied his  hatchet  in  her  brain.  She  fell  lifeless. 
Another  blow  put  an  end  to  the  sufferings  of 
her  child.  They  then  built  a  huge  fire,  placed 
the  two  bodies  upon  it,  and  they  were  consumed 
to  ashes.  All  the  captive  children  were  assem- 
bled to  witness  this  tragedy,  and  were  assured 
that  if  they  made  any  attempt  to  escape  from 
slavery,  a  similar  fate  awaited  them.  The  un- 
happy woman,  during  all  this  awful  scene,  shed 
not  a  tear,  but  with  clasped  hands,  meekly  pray- 
ing, she  silently  and  almost  joyfully  surren- 
dered herself  to  her  fate. 

All  the  day  long,  the  Indians,  leading  their 
captives  with  them,  traveled  through  the  deso- 
late wilderness.  A  drizzling  rain  was  falling, 
and  their  feet  slumped  through  the  wet  snow 
at  every  step.  Late  in  the  afternoon  they  en- 
camped, with  no  protection  from  the  weather 
but  a  few  boughs  of  trees.  Mrs.  Rowlandson 
was  separated  from  her  children  ;  she  was  faint 
with  hunger,  sore,  and  utterly  exhausted  with 
travel,  and  she  sat  down  upon  the  snowy 


MRS.  ROWLANDSON'S   CAPTIVITY.  275 

Comfort  obtained.  Fear  of  the  English.  The  flight. 

ground  and  wept  bitterly.  She  opened  her 
Bible  for  solace,  and  her  eye  fell  upon  the  cheer- 
ing words, 

"  Refrain  thy  voice  from  weeping  and  thine 
eyes  from  tears,  for  thy  work  shall  be  reward- 
ed, and  they  shall  come  again  from  the  land  of 
the  enemy." 

Here,  in  this  wretched  encampment,  the  In- 
dians, their  families  being  wii^i  them,  remained 
for  four  days.  But  some  of  their  scouts  brought 
in -intelligence  that  some  English  soldiers  were 
in  the  vicinity.  The  Indians  immediately,  in  the 
greatest  apparent  consternation,  packed  up  their 
things  and  fled.  They  retreated  farther  into 
the  wilderness  in  the  most  precipitate  confu- 
sion. Women  carried  their  children.  Men 
took  upon  their  shoulders  their  aged  and  de- 
crepit mothers.  One  very  heavy  Indian,  who 
was  sick,  was  carried  upon  a  bier.  Mrs.  Row- 
landson  endeavored  to  count  the  Indians,  but 
they  were  in  such  a  tumultuous  throng,  hurry- 
ing through  the  forest,  that  she  was  quite  una- 
ble to  ascertain  their  numbers.  It  will  be  re- 
membered that  Mrs.  Rowlandson's  side  had 
been  pierced  by  a  bullet  at  the  destruction  of 
Lancaster.  The  wound  was  much  inflamed, 
and,  being  worn  down  with  pain  and  exhaus- 


276  KING   PHILIP.  [1676. 

The  burden.  Crossing  the  river.  Want  of  food. 

tion,  she  found  it  exceedingly  difficult  to  keep 
pace  with  her  captors.  In  the  distribution  of 
their  burdens  they  had  given  her  two  quarts  of 
parched  meal  to  carry.  Fainting  with  hunger, 
she  implored  of  her  mistress  one  spoonful  of 
the  meal,  that  she  might  mix  it  with  water  to 
appease  the  cravings  of  appetite.  Her  suppli- 
cation was  denied. 

Soon  they  arrived  at  Swift  River,  somewhere 
probably  within  the  limits  of  the  present  town 
of  Enfield.  The  stream  was  swollen  with  the 
melting  snows  of  spring.  The  Indians,  with 
their  hatchets,  immediately  cut  down  some  dry 
trees,  with  which  they  made  a  raft,  and  thus 
crossed  the  stream.  The  raft  was  so  heavily 
laden  that  many  of  the  Indians  were  knee  deep 
in  the  icy  water.  Mrs.  Rowlandson,  however, 
sat  upon  some  brush,  and  thus  kept  her  feet 
dry.  For  supper  they  made  a  broth  by  boiling 
an  old  horse's  leg  in  a  kettle  of  water,  filling  up 
with  water  as  often  as  the  kettle  was  emptied. 
Mrs.  Rowlandson  was  in  such  a  starving  con- 
dition that  a  cupful  of  this  wretched  nutriment 
seemed  delicious. 

Feeling  that  they  were  now  safe  from  attack, 
they  reared  some  rude  wrgwams,  and  rested  for 
one  day.  It  so  happened  that  the  next  day 


MRS.  ROWLANDSON'S  CAPTIVITY.  277 

Compelling  the  captive  to  work.  The  Indian  village, 

was  the  Sabbath.  The  English  who  were  pur- 
suing came  to  the  banks  of  the  river,  saw  the 
smoke  of  their  fires,  but  for  some  reason  decided 
not  to  attempt  to  cross  the  stream.  During 
the  day,Wetamoo  compelled  her  slave  to  knit 
some  stockings  for  her.  When  Mrs.  Rowland- 
son  plead  that  it  was  the  Sabbath,  and  prom- 
ised that  if  she  might  be  permitted  to  keep  the 
sacred  day  she  would  do  double  work  on  Mon- 
day, she  was  told  to  do  her  work  immediately, 
or  she  should  have  her  face  smashed.  The 
smashing  of  a  face  by  an  Indian's  bludgeon  is 
a  serious  operation. 

The  next  morning,  Monday,  the  Indians  fired 
their  wigwams,  and  continued  their  retreat 
through  the  wilderness  toward  the  Connecticut 
Kiver.  They  traveled  as  fast  as  they  could  all 
day,  fording  icy  brooks,  until  late  in  the  after- 
noon they  came  to  the  borders  of  a  gloomy 
swamp,  where  they  again  encamped. 

"  When  we  came,"  writes  Mrs.  Rowlandson, 
';to  the  brow  of  the  hill  that  looked  toward  the 
swamp,  I  thought  we  had  come  to  a  great  In- 
dian town.  -Though  there  were  none  but  our 
company,  the  Indians  appeared  as  thick  as  the 
trees.  It  seemed  as  if  there  had  been  a  thou- 
sand hatchets  going  at  once.  If  one  looked 


278  KING  PHILIP.  [1676. 

Numbers  of  the  Indians.  Difficulty  of  obtaining  food. 

before  there  were  nothing  but  Indians,  and  be- 
hind nothing  but  Indians,  and  from  either  hand, 
and  I  myself  in  the  midst,  and  no  Christian 
soul  near  me." 

The  next  morning  the  wearisome  march  was 
again  resumed.  Early  in  the  afternoon  they 
reached  the  banks  of  the  Connecticut  at  a  spot 
near  Hadley,  where  they  found  the  ruins  of  a 
small  English  settlement.  Mrs.  Rowlandson 
had  for  her  food  during  the  day  an  ear  of  corn 
and  a  small  piece  of  horse's  liver.  As  she  was 
roasting  the  liver  upon  some  coals,  an  Indian 
came  and  snatched  half  of  it  away.  She  was 
forced  to  eat  the  rest  almost  raw,  lest  she  should 
lose  that  also ;  and  yet  her  hunger  was  so  great 
that  it  seemed  a  delicious  morsel.  They  gath- 
ered a  little  wheat  from  the  fields,  which  they 
found  frozen  in  the  shocks  upon  the  icy  ground. 

The  next  morning  they  commenced  ascend- 
ing the  river  for  a  few  miles,  where  they  were 
to  cross  to  meet  King  Philip,  who,  with  a  large 
party  of  warriors,  was  encamped  on  the  western 
bank  of  the  stream.  Indians  from  all  quarters 
were  assembling  at  that  rendezvous,  in  prepara- 
tion for  an  assault  on  the  Connecticut  River 
towns.  When  Mrs.  Rowlandson's  party  ar- 
rived at  the  point  of  crossing,  they  encamped 


MRS.  ROWLANDSON'S   CAPTIVITY.  279 

Mrs.  Rowland.-on  meets  her  son.  Regal  repast. 

for  the  night.  The  opposite  shore  seemed  to 
be  thronged  with  savage  warriors.  Mrs.  Row- 
landson  sat  upon  the  banks  of  the  stream,  and 
gazed  with  amazement  upon  the  vast  multitude, 
like  swarming  bees,  crowding  the  shore.  She 
had  never  before  seen  so  many  assembled.  While 
she  was  thus  sitting,  to  her  great  surprise,  her 
son  approached  her.  His  master  had  brought 
him  to  the  spot.  The  interview  between  the 
woe-stricken  mother  and  her  child  was  very 
brief  and  very  sad.  They  were  soon  again  sep- 
arated. 

The  next  morning  they  commenced  crossing 
the  river  in  canoes.  When  Mrs.  Rowlandson 
had  crossed,  she  was  received  with  peculiar 
kindness.  One  Indian  gave  her  two  spoonfuls 
of  meal,  and  another  brought  her  half  a  pint  of 
peas.  The  half-famished  captive  now  thought 
that  her  larder  was  abundantly  stored.  She 
was  then  conducted  to  the  wigwam  of  King 
Philip.  The  Wampanoag  chieftain  received 
her  with  the  courtesy  of  a  gentleman,  invited 
her  to  sit  down  upon  a  mat  by  his  side,  and 
presented  her  a  pipe  to  smoke  with  him.  He 
requested  her  to  make  a  shirt  for  his  son,  and, 
like  a  gentleman,  paid  her  for  her  work.  He 
invited  her  to  dine  with  him.  They  dined 


280  KING  PHILIP.  [1676. 

Pieparatious  for  an  attack.  The  queen  invited  to  dinnei. 

upon  pancakes  made  of  parched  wheat,  beatei 
and  fried  in  bear's  grease.  The  dinner,  though 
very  frugal,  was  esteemed  very  delicious. 

The  Indians  remained  here  for  several  dayc, 
preparing  for  a  very  formidable  attack  on  the 
town  of  Northampton.  During  all  the  time 
that  Mrs.  Rowlandson  remained  near  King  Phil- 
ip, though  she  was  held  as  a  captive,  she  was 
not  treated  as  a  slave.  She  was  paid  for  all 
the  work  that  she  did.  She  made  a  shirt  for 
one  of  the  warriors,  and  received  for  it  a  gener- 
ous sirloin  of  bear's  flesh.  For  another  she  knit 
a  pair  of  stockings,  for  which  she  received  a 
quart  of  peas.  With  these  savory  viands  Mrs 
Rowlandson  prepared  a  nice  dinner,  and  invited 
her  master  and  mistress,  Quinnapin  and  Weta- 
moo,  to  dine  with  her.  They  accepted  the  in- 
vitation ;  but  Mrs.  Rowlandson  did  not  appre- 
ciate the  niceties  of  Indian  etiquette.  Weta- 
moo  was  a  queen,  Quinnapin  was  only  her  hus- 
band— merely  the  Prince  Albert  of  Queen  Vic- 
toria. As  there  was  but  one  dish  from  which 
both  the  queen  and  her  husband  were  to  be 
served,  the  haughty  Wetamoo  deemed  herself 
insulted,  and  refused  to  eat  a  morsel. 

Philip  and  his  warriors  soon  departed  to  make 
attacks  upon  the  settlements.      The  Indians 


MRS.  EOWLANDSON'S   CAPTIVITY.  281 

An  interview  between  the  captives.  Unaccountable  conduct. 

who  remained  took  Mrs.  liowlandson  and  sev- 
eral other  captives  some  six  miles  farther  up 
the  river,  and  then  crossed  to  the  eastern  banks. 
Here  they  remained  for  some  days,  and  here 
Mrs.  Rowlandson  had  another  short  interview 
with  her  son,  which  lacerated  still  more  severe- 
ly her  bleeding  heart.  The  poor  boy  was  sick 
and  in  great  pain,  and  his  agonized  mother  was 
not  permitted  to  remain  with  him  to  afford  him 
any  relief.  Of  her  daughter  she  could  learn  no 
tidings.  Wetamoo,  Quinnapin,  and  Philip  were 
all  absent,  and  the  Indians  treated  her  with 
great  inhumanity,  with  occasional  caprices  of 
strange  and  unaccountable  kindness. 

One  bitter  cold  day,  the  Indians  all  huddled 
around  the  fire  in  the  wigwam,  and  would  not 
allow  her  to  approach  it.  Perishing  with  cold, 
she  went  out  and  entered  another  wigwam. 
Here  she  was  received  with  great  hospitality ; 
a  m^t  was  spread  for  her,  and  she  was  address- 
ed in  words  of  tender  sympathy  by  the  mother 
of  the  little  barbarian  household,  in  whose  bo- 
som woman's  loving  heart  throbbed  warmly. 
But  soon  the  Indian  to  whose  care  she  was  in- 
trusted came  in  search  of  her,  and  amused  him- 
self in  kicking  her  all  the  way  home. 

The  next  day  the  Indians  commenced,  for 


282  KING  PHILIP.  [167G. 

A  journey  commenced.  Hardships  endured. 

some  unknown  reason,  wandering  back  again 
toward  Lancaster.  They  placed  upon  this  poor 
captive's  back  as  heavy  a  burden  as  she  could 
bear,  and  goaded  her  along  through  the  wilder- 
ness. She  forded  streams,  and  climbed  steep 
hills,  and  endured  hardships  which  can  not  be 
described.  Her  hunger  was  so  great  that  six 
acorns,  which  she  picked  up  by  the  way,  she 
esteemed  a  great  treasure. 

The  night  was  cold  and  windy.  The  In- 
dians erected  a  wigwam,  and  were  soon  gather- 
ed around  a  glowing  fire  in  the  centre  of  it. 
The  interior  presented  a  bright,  warm,  and 
cheerful  scene,  as  Mrs.  Rowlandson  entered  to 
warm  her  shivering  frame.  She  had  been  com- 
pelled to  search  around  to  bring  dry  fuel  for 
the  fire.  She  was,  however,  ordered  instantly 
to  leave  the  hut,  the  Indians  saying  that  there 
was  no  room  for  her  at  the  fire.  Mrs.  Row- 
landson  hesitated  about  going  out  to  pass  the 
night  in  the  freezing  air,  when  one  of  the  In- 
dians drew  his  knife,  and  she  was  compelled  to 
retire.  There  were  several  wigwams  around  ; 
the  poor  captive  went  from  one  to  another,  but 
from  all  she  was  repelled  with  abuse  and  de- 
rision. 
,  At  last  an  old  Indian  took  pity  upon  her,  and 


MRS.  KOWLANDSON'S  CAPTIVITY.  283 

Kindness  from  an  old  Indian.  False  report  about  her  son. 

told  her  to  come  in.  His  wife  received  her  with 
compassion,  gave  her  a  warm  seat  by  the  fire, 
some  ground-nuts  for  her  supper,  and  placed  a 
bundle  under  her  head  for  a  pillow.  With 
these  accommodations  the  English  clergyman's 
wife  felt  that  she  was  luxuriously  entertained, 
and  passed  the  night  in  comfort  and  sweet 
slumbers.  The  next  day  the  journey  was  con- 
tinued. As  the  Indians  were  binding  a  heavy 
burden  upon  Mrs.  Rowlandson's  shoulders,  she 
complained  that  it  hurt  her  severely,  and  that 
the  skin  was  off  her  back.  A  surly  Indian  de- 
layed not  strapping  on  the  load,  merely  remark- 
ing, dryly,  that  it  would  be  of  but  little  conse- 
quence if  her  head  were  off  too. 

The  Indians  now  entered  a  region  of  the  for- 
est where  there  was  a  very  heavy  growth  of 
majestic  trees,  and  the  underbrush  was  so  dense 
as  to  be  almost  impenetrable.  Plunging  into 
this  as  a  covert,  they  reared  their  wigwams, 
and  remained  here,  in  an  almost  starving  condi- 
tion, for  fourteen  days.  The  anxious  mother 
inquired  of  an  Indian  .if  he  could  inform  her 
what  had  become  of  her  boy.  The  rascal  very 
coolly  told  her,  that  he  might  torture  her  by  the 
falsehood,  that  his  master  had  roasted  the  lad, 
and  that  he  himself  had  been  furnished  with  a 


284  KING  PHILIP.  [1676. 

Dismal  life.  Visions  of  liberty.  Slow  marcn. 

steak,  and  that  it  was  very  delicious  meat. 
They  also  told  her,  in  the  same  spirit,  that  her 
husband  had  been  taken  by  the  Indians  and 
slain. 

Thus  the  Indians  continued  for  several  weeks 
wandering  about  from  one  place  to  another, 
without  any  apparent  object,  and  most  of  the 
time  in  a  miserable,  half-famished  condition.  A 
more  joyless,  dismal  life  imagination  can  hard- 
ly conceive.  One  day  thirty  Indians  approach- 
ed the  encampment  on  horseback,  all  dressed  in 
the  garments  which  they  had  stripped  from  the 
English  whom  they  had  slain.  They  wore'hats, 
white  neckcloths,  and  sashes  about  their  waists. 
They  brought  a  message  from  Quinnapin  that 
Mrs.  Rowlandson  must  go  to  the  foot  of  Mount 
Wachusett,  where  the  Indian  warriors  were  in 
council,  deliberating  with  some  English  com- 
missioners about  the  redemption  of  the  cap- 
tives. "My  heart  was  so  heavy  before,"  writes 
Mrs.  Rowlandson,  "  that  I  could  scarce  speak 
or  go  in  the  path,  and  yet  now  so  light  that  I 
could  run.  My  strength  seemed  to  come  again, 
and  to  recruit  my  feeble  knees  and  aching 
heart.  Yet  it  pleased  them  to  go  but  one  mile 
that  night,»and  there  we  staid  two  days." 

They  then  journeyed  along  slowly,  the  whole 


MRS.  ROWLANDSON'S  CAPTIVITY.  285 

Gentlemanly  conduct  of  Philip.  Queen  Wetamoo. 

party  suffering  extremely  from  hunger.  A  lit- 
tle broth,  made  from  boiling  the  old  and  dry 
feet  of  a  horse,  was  considered  a  great  refresh- 
ment. They  at  length  came  to  a  small  Indian 
village,  where  they  found  in  captivity  four  En- 
glish children,  and  one  of  them  was  a  child  of 
Mrs.  Rowlandson's  sister.  They  were  all  gaunt 
and  haggard  with  famine.  Sadly  leaving  these 
suffering  little  ones,  the  journey  was  continued 
until  they  arrived  near  Mount  Wachusett.  Here 
King  Philip  met  them.  Kindly,  and  with  the 
courtesy  of  a  polished  gentleman,  he  took  the 
hand  of  the  unhappy  captive,  and  said,  "In  two 
weeks  more  you  shall  be  your  own  mistress 
again."  In  this  encampment  of  warriors  she 
was  placed  again  in  the  hands  of  her  master 
and  mistress,  Quinnapin  and  Wetamoo.  Of 
this  renowned  queen  Mrs.  Rowlandson  says  : 

"A  severe  and  proud  dame  she  was,  bestow- 
ing every  day,  in  dressing  herself,  nearly  as 
much  time  as  any  of  the  gentry  in  the  land, 
powdering  her  hair  and  painting  her  face,  going 
with  her  necklaces,  with  jewels  in  her  ears. 
When  she  had  dressed  herself,  her  work  was  to 
make  girdles  of  wampum  and  beads." 

Wampum  was  the  money  in  use  among  the 
Indians.  It  consisted  of  beautiful  shells  very 


286  KING  PHILIP.  [1676. 

Wampum,  aad  how  made.  Kindness  to  the  captive. 

curiously  strung  together.  "  Their  beads,"  says 
John  Josselyn,  "  are  their  money.  Of  these 
there  are  two  sorts,  blue  beads  and  white  beads. 
The  first  is  their  gold,  the  last  their  silver. 
These  they  work  out  of  certain  shells  so  cun- 
ningly that  neither  Jew  nor  Devil  can  counter- 
feit. They  drill  them  and  string  them,  and 
make  many  curious  works  with  them  to  adorn 
the  persons  of  their  sagamores  and  principal 
men  and  young  women,  as  belts,  girdles,  tab- 
lets, borders  of  their  women's  hair,  bracelets, 
necklaces,  and  links  to  hang  in  their  ears." 

Our  poor  captive,  having  returned  to  the  wig- 
wam of  her  master  and  mistress,  was  treated 
with  much  comparative  kindness.  She  was  re- 
ceived hospitably  at  the  fire.  A  mat  was  given 
to  her  for  a  bed,  and  a  rug  to  spread  over  her. 
She  was  employed  in  knitting  stockings  and 
making  under  garments  for  her  mistress.  While 
here,  two  Indians  came  with  propositions  from 
the  government  at  Boston  for  the  purchase  of 
her  ransom.  The  news  overwhelmed  Mrs.  Eow- 
landson  with  emotions  too  deep  for  smiles,  and 
she  could  only  give  utterance  to  her  feelings  in 
sobs  and  flooding  tears. 

The  sachems  now  met  to  consult  upon  the 
subject.  They  called  Mrs.  Rowlandson  before 


MRS.  ROWLANDSON'S  CAPTIVITY.  287 

Proposition  for  her  ransom.       Evidence  of  slaughter.       A  great  feast 

them,  and,  after  a  long  and  very  serious  confer- 
ence, agreed  to  receive  twenty  pounds  ($100) 
for  her  ransom.  One  of  the  praying  Indians 
was  sent  to  Boston  with  this  proposition. 

While  this  matter  was  in  progress,  the  In- 
dians went  out  on  several  expeditions,  and  re- 
turned with  much  plunder  and  many  scalps. 
One  of  the  savages  had  a  necklace  made  of  the 
fingers  of  the  English  whom  he  had  slain. 

It  was  the  custom  of  the  Indians  not  to  re- 
main long  in  any  one  place,  lest  they  should  be 
overtaken  by  the  bands  of  the  colonists  which 
were  every  where  in  pursuit  of  them.  The  lat- 
ter part  of  April,  after  having  perpetrated  enor- 
mous destruction  in  Sudbury  and  other  towns, 
the  warriors  returned  to  their  rendezvous  elated, 
yet  trembling,  as  they  knew  that  the  English 
forces  were  in  search  of  them.  Immediately 
breaking  up  their  encampment,  they  retreated 
several  miles  into  the  wilderness,  and  there 
built  an  enormous  tent  of  boughs,  sufficient  to 
hold  one  hundred  men. 

Here  the  Indians  gathered  from  all  quarters, 
and  they  had  a  feast  and  a  great  dance.  Mrs. 
Howlandson  learned  from  a  captive  English 
>\roman  whom  she  found  here  that  her  sister 
and  her  own  daughter  were  with  some  Indians 


288  KING   PHILIP.  [1676. 

Endeavors  to  see  her  children.  Bravery  of  Mr.  John  Hoar. 

at  but  a  mile's  distance.  Though  she  had  seen 
neither  for  ten  weeks,  she  was  not  permitted  to 
go  near  them.  The  poor  woman  plead  with 
anguish  of  entreaty  to  be  permitted  to  see  her 
child,  but  she  could  make  no  impression  upon 
their  obdurate  hearts. 

One  Sabbath  afternoon,  just  as  the  sun  was 
going  down,  a  colonist,  Mr.  John  Hoar,  a  man 
of  extraordinary  intrepidity  of  spirit,  with  a 
firm  step  approached  the  encampment,  guided 
by  two  friendly  Indians,  and  under  the  very 
frail  protection  of  a  barbarian  flag  of  truce. 
The  savages,  as  soon  as  they  saw  him,  seized 
their  guns,  and  rushed  as  if  to  kill  him.  They 
shot  over  his  head  and  under  his  horse,  before 
him  and  behind  him,  seeing  how  near  they 
could  make  the  bullets  whistle  by  his  ears 
without  hitting  him.  They  dragged  him  from 
his  horse,  pushed  him  this  way  and  that  way, 
and  treated  him  with  all  imaginable  violence 
without  inflicting  any  bodily  harm.  This  they 
did  to  frighten  him  :  but  John  Hoar  was  not  a 
man  to  be  frightened,  and  the  savages  admired 
his  imperturbable  courage. 

The  chiefs  built  thoir  council  fire,  and  held  a 
long  conference  with  Mr.  Hoar.  They  then  al- 
lowed him  a  short  interview  with  Mrs.  Row- 


MRS.  ROWLANDSON'S   CAPTIVITY.  289 

Assurance  of  freedom.  Dress  for  a  grand  dance. 

landson.  He  brought  her  messages  of  affection 
from  her  distracted  husband,  and  cheered  her 
with  the  hope  that  Jier  release  would  eventually, 
though  not  immediately,  be  obtained.  She 
plead  earnestly  with  the  Indians  for  permission 
to  return  with  Mr.  Hoar,  promising  to  send  back 
the  price  of  her  ransom  ;  but  they  declared  that 
she  should  not  go. 

After  dinner  the  Indians  made  arrangenicnts 
for  one  of  their  most  imposing  dan^.s.  It  was 
a  barbarian  cotillon,  performed  by  eight  part- 
ners in  the  presence  of  admiring  hundreds. 
Queen  Wetamoo  and  her  husband,  Quinnapin, 
were  conspicuous  in  this  dance.  He  was  dress- 
ed in  a  white  linen  shirt,  with  a  broad  border 
of  lace  around  the  skirt.  To  this  robe  silver 
buttons  were  profusely  attached.  He  wore 
white  cotton  stockings,  with  shillings  dangling 
and  clinking  from  the  garters.  A  turban  com- 
posed of  girdles  of  wampum  ornamented  his 
head,  while  broad  belts  of  wampum  passed  over 
his  shoulders  and  encircled  his  waist. 

Wetamoo  was  dressed  for  the  ball  in  a  horse- 
man's coat  of  coarse,  shaggy  cloth.  This  was 
beautifully  decorated  with  belts  of  wampum 
from  the  waist  upward.  Her  arms,  from  the 
elbows  to  the  wrist,  were  clasped  with  bracelets. 
2—19  * 


290  KING   PHILIP.  [1676. 

Dress  of  Wetamoo.  Interview  with  Philip.  Her  release. 

A  great  profusion  of  necklaces  covered  her  well- 
rounded  shoulders  and  ample  bosom.  Her  ears 
were  laden  with  jewels.  She  wore  red  stock- 
ings and  white  shoes.  Her  face  was  painted  a 
brilliant  crimson,  and  her  hair  powdered  white 
as  snow.  For  music  the  Indians  sang,  while 
one  beat  time  upon  a  brass  kettle. 

Soon  after  the  dance,  King  Philip,  who  was 
there  with  his  warriors,  but  who  appears  to 
have  taken  no  part  in  the  carousals,  sent  for 
Mrs.  Rowlandson,  and  said  to  her,  with  a  smil- 
ing face,  "  Would  you  like  to  hear  some  good 
news  ?  I  have  a  pleasant  word  for  you.  You 
are  to  go  home  to-morrow."  Arrangements 
had  been  finally  made  through  Mr.  Hoar  for  her 
ransom. 

On  the  next  morning  Mrs.  Rowlandson,  ac- 
companied by  Mr.  Hoar  and  the  two  friendly 
Indians,  commenced  her  journey  through  the 
wilderness  toward  Lancaster.  She  left  her  two 
children,  her  sister,  and  many  other  friends  and 
relatives  still  in  captivity.  "  In  coming  along," 
she  says,  "my  heart  melted  into  tears  more 
than  all  the  while  I  was  with  them." 

Toward  evening'  they  reached  the  spot  where 
Lancaster  once  stood.  The  place,  once  so  lux- 
uriant and  beautiful,  presented  a  dreary  aspect 


MES.  EOWLANDSON'S   CAPTIVITY.  291 

Appearance  of  the  country.  Return  to  her  friends. 

of  ruin.  The  storm  of  war  had  swept  over  it, 
and  had  converted  all  its  attractive  homes  into 
smouldering  embers.  They  chanced  to  find  an 
old  building  which  had  escaped  the  flames,  and 
here,  upon  a  bed  of  straw,  they  passed  the 
night.  With  blended  emotions  of  bliss  and  of 
anguish,  the  bereaved  mother  journeyed  along 
the  next  day,  and  about  noon  reached  Concord. 
Here  she  met  many  of  her  friends,  who  rejoiced 
with  her  in  her  rescue,  and  wept  with  her  over 
the  captives  who  were  still  in  bondage.  They 
then  hurried  on  to  Boston,  where  she  arrived  in 
the  evening,  and  was  received  to  the  arms  of 
her  husband,  after  a  captivity  in  the  wilderness 
of  three  months.  By  great  exertions,  their  son 
and  daughter  were  eventually  regained.  We 
now  return  from  the  incidents  of  this  captivity 
to  renew  the  narrative  of  Philip's  war. 


2J2  KING  PHILIP.  [1677. 

Spies.  Attack  upon  Medfield.  Suspicions. 


CHAPTER  IX. 
THE  INDIANS  VICTORIOUS. 

t'  I  ^HE  Massachusetts  government  now  em- 
-^-  ployed  two  friendly  Indians  to  act  as  spies. 
With  consummate  cunning  they  mingled  with 
the  hostile  Indians,  and  made  a  faithful  report 
to  their  employers  of  all  the  anticipated  move- 
ments respecting  which  they  could  obtain  any 
information. 

Eleven  days  after  the  destruction  of  Lancas- 
ter, on  the  21st  of  February,  the  Indians  made 
an  attack  upon  Medfield.  This  was  a  very  bold 
measure.  The  town  was  but  seventeen  miles 
from  Boston.  Several  garrison  houses  had  been 
erected,  in  which  all  the  inhabitants  could  take 
refuge  in  case  of  alarm.  Two  hundred  soldiers 
were  stationed  in  the  town,  and  sentinels  kept 
a  very  careful  watch.  On  the  Sabbath,  as  the 
people  were  returning  from  public  worship,  one 
or  two  Indians  were  seen  on  the  neighboring 
hills,  which  led  the  people  to  suspect  that  an  as- 
sault was  contemplated.  The  night  was  moon- 
less, starless,  and  of  Egyptian  darkness.  The 


1677.J  THE  INDIANS  VICTORIOUS.     293 

Energy  of  Philip.  An  unpleasant  surprise. 

Indians,  perfectly  acquainted  with  the  location 
of  every  building  and  every  inch  of  the  ground, 
crept  noiselessly,  three  hundred  in  number,  each 
to  his  appointed  post.  They  spread  themselves 
over  all  parts  of  the  town,  skulking  behind  ev- 
ery fence,  and  rock,  and  tree.  They  concealed 
themselves  in  orchards,  sheds,  and  barns.  King 
Philip  himself  was  with  them,  guiding,  with 
amazing  skill  and  energy,  all  the  measures  for 
the  attack.  .  Not  a  voice,  or  a  footfall,  or  the 
rustling  of  a  twig  was  heard,  as  the  savages 
stood  in  immovable  and  breathless  silence,  wait- 
ing the  signal  for  the  onset.  The  torch  was 
ready  to  be  lighted ;  the  musket  loaded  and 
primed ;  the  knife  and  tomahawk  sharp  and 
gleaming. 

At  the  earliest  dawn  of  day  one  shrill  war- 
whoop  was  heard,  clear  and  piercing.  It  drew 
forth  the  instant  response  of  three  hundred 
voices  in  unearthly  yells.  Men,  women,  rnd 
children  sprang  from  their  beds  in  a  phrensy  of 
terror,  and,  rushing  in  their  night-clothes  from 
their  homes,  endeavored  to  reach  the  garrison 
houses.  But  the  leaping  savage  was  every 
where  with  his  torch,  and  soon  the  blaze  of 
fifty  houses  and  bams  shed  its  lurid  light  over 
the  dark  morning.  Fortunately,  many  of  the 


294  KING  PHILIP.  [1677. 

A  conflagration.  The  Indians  retire 

inhabitants  were  in  the  garrisons.  Of  those 
who  were  not,  but  few  escaped.  The  bullet  and 
the  tomahawk  speedily  did  their  work,  and  but 
a  few  moments  elapsed  ere  fifty  men,  women, 
and  children  were  weltering  in  blood.  Though 
they  promptly  laid  one  half  of  the  town  in  ashes, 
the  garrison  houses  were  too  strong  for  them  to 
take.  During  the  progress  of  this  awful  trage- 
dy King  Philip  was  seen  mounted  on  a  splendid 
black  horse,  leaping  the  fences,  inspiriting  his 
warriors,  and  exulting  in  the  havoc  he  was  ac- 
complishing. 

At  length  the  soldiers,  who  were  scattered  in  • 
different  parts  of  the  town,  began  gradually  to 
combine  their  strength,  and  the  savages,  learn- 
ing that  re-enforcements  were  also  approaching 
from  Sudbury,were  compelled  to  retire.  They 
retreated  across  a  bridge  in  the  southwest  part 
of  the  town,  in  the  direction  of  Medway,  keep- 
ing up  a  resolute  firing  upon  their  foes  who 
pursued  them.  Having  passed  the  stream,  they 
set  fire  to  the  bridge  to  cut  off  pursuit.  In  ex- 
ultation over  their  victory,  Philip  wrote,  proba- 
bly by  the  hand  of  some  Christian  Indian,  the 
following  letter  to  his  enemies,  which  he  attached 
to  one  of  the  charred  and  smouldering  posts  of 
the  bridge. 


1677.]  THE  INDIANS  VICTORIOUS.     295 

Philip's  letter.  Indian  warfare. 

"  Know  by  this  paper  that  the  Indians  that 
thou  hast  provoked  to  wrath  and  anger  will  war 
this  twenty-one  years,  if  you  will.  There  are 
many  Indians  yet.  We  come  three  hundred  at 
this  time.  You  must  consider  the  Indians  lose 
nothing  but  their  life.  You  must  lose  your  fair 
houses  and  cattle." 

The  Indians  now  wandered  about  in  com- 
paratively small  bands,  making  attacks  wher^ 
ever  they  thought  that  there  was  any  chance 
of  success,  and  marking  their  path  with  flames 
and  blood.  Without  a  moment's  warning,  and 
with  hideous  yells,  they  would  dash  from  the 
forest  upon  the  lonely  settlements,  and  as  sud- 
denly retreat  before  the  least  effectual  show  of 
resistance.  Weymouth,  within  eleven  miles  of 
Boston,  was  assailed,  and  several  houses  and 
barns  burnt.  They  ventured  even  into  the  town 
of  Plymouth,  setting  fire  to  a  house  and  killing 
eleven  persons. 

On  the  13th  of  March,  the  Indians,  in  a 
strong  party  four  hundred  in  number,  made  an 
attack  upon  Groton.  The  inhabitants,  alarmed 
by  the  fate  of  Lancaster,  had  retreated  into  five 
garrison  houses.  Four  of  these  houses  were 
within  musket-shot  of  each  other,  but  one  was 
more  than  a  mile  distant  from  the  rest.  The 


296  KING   PHILIP.  [1677. 

An  ambuscade.  A  decoy.  The  town  burned. 

savages  very  adroitly  formed,  in  the  night,  two 
ambuscades,  one  before  and  one  behind  the  four 
united  garrisons.  Early  in  the  morning  they 
sent  a  small  party  of  Indians  to  show  them- 
selves upon  a  hill  as  a  decoy.  The  inhabitants, 
supposing  that  the  Indians,  unaware  of  their 
preparations  for  resistance,  had  come  in  small 
numbers,  very  imprudently  left  two  of  the  gar- 
risons and  pursued  them.  The  Indians  retreat- 
ed with  precipitation.  The  English  eagerly 
pursued,  when  suddenly  the  party  in  ambush 
rose  and  poured  a  deadly  fire  upon  them.  In 
the  mean  time,  the  other  party  in  ambush  in 
rear  of  the  garrison  rushed  to  the  palisades  to 
cut  off  the  retreat  of  the  English.  Covered, 
however,  by  the  guns  of  the  two  other  garri- 
sons, they  succeeded  in  regaining  shelter.  A 
similar  attempt  was  made  to  destroy  the  soli- 
tary garrison,  but  it  was  alike  unsuccessful. 
The  Indians,  however,  had  the  whole  town  ex- 
cept the  garrisons  to  themselves.  They  burned 
to  the  ground  forty  dwelling-houses,  the  church, 
and  all  the  barns  and  out-houses.  The  cattle 
were  fortunately  saved,  being  inclosed  within 
palisades  under  the  protection  of  the  garrisons. 
A  notorious  Nipmuck  chief,  Monoco,  called 
by  the  English  One-eyed  John,  led  this  expe- 


1677.J  THE   INDIANS  VICTORIOUS.    297 

Monoco's  threats.  Monoco  hung.  Destruction  of  Warwick. 

dition.  While  the  church  was  in  flames,  Mo- 
noco shouted  to  the  men  in  the  garrison,  assail- 
ing them  with  every  variety  of  Indian  vituper- 
ative abuse.  He  had  been  so  much  with  the 
English  that  he  understood  their  language  very 
well. 

"  What  will  you  do  for  a  place  to  pray  in," 
said  he,  "now  that  we  have  burned  your  meet- 
ing-house? We  will  burn  Chelmsford,  Con- 
cord, Watertown,  Cambridge,  Charlestown,  Rox- 
bury,  and  Boston.  I  have  four  hundred  and 
eighty  warriors  with  me ;  we  will  show  you 
what  we  will  do." 

But  a  few  months  after  this  Monoco  was 
taken  prisoner,  led  through  the  streets  of  Bos- 
ton with  a  rope  round  his  neck,  and  hanged  at 
the  town's  end. 

On  the  17th  of  March,  Warwick,  in  Rhode 
Island,  was  almost  entirely  destroyed.  The 
next  day  another  band  of  Indians  attacked 
Northampton,  on  the  Connecticut.  But  by  this 
time  most  of  the  towns  had  fortified  themselves 
with  palisades  and  garrison  houses.  The  In- 
dians, after  a  fierce  conflict,  were  repelled  from 
Northampton  with  a  loss  of  eleven  men,  while 
the  English  lost  but  three. 

On  the  Sabbath  of  the  26th  of  March,  as  the 


298  KING  PHILIP.  [1677. 

Alarm  from  the  Indians.  Exultation  of  the  Indians. 

people  of  Marlborough  were  assembled  at  pub- 
lic worship,  the  alarming  cry  was  shouted  in  at 
the  door,  "The  Indians!  the  Indians!"  An 
indescribable  scene  of  confusion  instantly  en- 
sued, as  the  whole  congregation  rushed  out  to 
seek  shelter  in  their  garrison.  The  terror  and 
confusion  were  awfully  increased  by  a  volley 
of  bullets,  which  the  Indians,  as  they  came 
rushing  like  demons  over  the  plain,  poured  in 
upon  the  flying  congregation.  Fortunately,  the 
savages  were  at  such  a  distance  that  none  were 
wounded  excepting  one  man,  who  was  carrying 
an  aged  and  infirm  woman.  His  arm  was 
broken  by  a  ball.  All,  however,  succeeded  in 
gaining  the  garrison  house,  which  was  near  at 
hand.  The  meeting-house  and  most  of  the 
dwelling-houses  were  burned.  The  orchards 
were  cut  down,  and  all  other  ruin  perpetrated 
which  savage  ingenuity  could  devise. 

T1  Indians,  exultant  with  success,  encamps 
ed  that  night  in  the  woods  not  far  from  Marl- 
borough,  and  kept  the  forest  awake  with  the 
uproar  of  their  barbarian  wassail.  The  colo- 
nists immediately  assembled  a  small  band  of 
brave  men,  fell  upon  them  by  surprise  in  the 
midst  of  their  carousals,  shot  forty  and  dis- 
persed the  rest 


1677.]  THE   INDIANS  VICTORIOUS.    299 

Uefeat  of  the  Plymouth  army.  Nanuntenoo.  Plan  of  action. 

On  the  same  day  in  which  Maryborough  was 
destroyed,  a  very  disastrous  defeat  befell  a  par- 
ty of  soldiers  belonging  to  the  old  Plymouth 
colony.  Nanuntenoo,  son  of  the  renowned 
Miantunnomah,  was  now  the  head  chief  of  the 
Narragansets.  He  was  fired  with  a  terrible 
spirit  of  revenge  against  the  English,  and  could 
not  forget  the  swamp  fight  in  which  so  many 
of  his  bravest  warriors  had  perished,  and  where 
hundreds  of  his  women  and  children  had  been 
cut  to  pieces  and  burned  to  ashes  in  their  wig- 
wams. He  himself  had  taken  a  large  share  in 
this  fierce  fight,  and  with  difficulty  escaped. 
This  chieftain,  a  man  of  great  intrepidity  and 
sagacity,  had  gathered  a  force  of  nearly  two 
thousand  Indians  upon  the  banks  of  the  Paw- 
tucket  River,  within  the  limits  of  the  present 
town  of  Seekonk.  They  were  preparing  for 
an  overwhelming  attack  upon  the  town  of 
Plymouth. 

The  colonists,  by  no  means  aware  of  the  for- 
midableness  of  the  force  assembled,  dispatched 
Captain  Pierce  from  Scituate  with  seventy  men, 
fifty  of  whom  were  English  and  twenty  In- 
dians, to  break  up  the  encampment  of  the  sav- 
ages. Nanuntenoo,  informed  of  their  move- 
ments, prepared  with  great  strategetic  skill  to 


300  KING  PHILIP.  [1677. 

A  stratagem,  and  its  success.  Defeat  certain. 

meet  them.  He  concealed  a  large  portion  of 
his  force  in  ambush  on  the  western  side  of  the 
river ;  another  body  of  warriors  he  secreted  in 
the  forest  on  the  eastern  banks.  As  Captain 
Pierce  approached  the  stream,  a  small  party  of 
Indians,  as  a  decoy,  showed  themselves  on  the 
western  side,  and  immediately  retreated,  as  if 
surprised  and  alarmed.  The  colonists  eagerly 
crossed  the  stream  and  pursued  them. 

The  stratagem  of  the  wily  savage  was  thus 
perfectly  successful.  The  colonists  had  ad- 
vanced but  a  few  rods  from  the  banks,  near 
Pawtucket  Falls,  when  the  Indians,  several 
hundreds  in  number,  rose  from  their  ambush 
and  rushed  like  an  avalanche  upon  them. 
With  bravery  almost  unparalleled  in  Indian 
warfare,  they  sought  no  covert,  but  rushed  upon 
their  foes  in  the  open  field  face  to  face.  They 
knew  that  the  colonists  were  now  drawn  into  a 
trap  from  which  there  was  no  possible  escape. 
As  soon  as  the  battle  commenced,  the  Indians 
who  were  in  the  rear,  on  the  eastern  bank  of  the 
narrow  stream,  sprang  up  from  their  ambush, 
and,  crowding  the  shore,  cut  off  all  hope  of  re- 
treat, and  commenced  a  heavy  fire  upon  their 
foe.  Utter  defeat  was  now  certain.  The  only 
choice  was  between  instantaneous  death  by  the 


1677.]  THE   INDIANS  VICTORIOUS.    301 

Heroic  defense.  An  escape. 

bullet  or  death  by  lingering  torture.  Captain 
Pierce  was  a  valiant  man,  and  instantly  adopted 
his  heroic  resolve.  He  formed  his  men  in  a  cir- 
cle, back  to  back,  and  with  a  few  words  inspired 
them  with  his  own  determination  to  sell  his  life 
as  dearly  as  possible.  Thus  they  continued 
the  fight  until  nearly  every  one  of  the  colonial 
party  was  slain.  But  one  white  man  escaped, 
and  he  through  the  singular  sagacity  of  one  of 
the  friendly  Indians. 

Captain  Pierce  soon  fell,  having  his  thigh 
bone  shattered  by  a  bullet.  A  noble  Indian  by 
the  name  of  Amos  would  not  desert  him ;  he 
stood  firmly  by  his  side,  loading  and  firing, 
while  his  comrades  fell  thickly  around  him. 
When  nearly  all  his  friends  had  fallen,  and  the 
survivors  were  mingled  with  their  foes  in  the 
smoke  and  confusion  of  the  fight,  he  observed 
that  all  the  hostile  Indians  had  painted  their 
faces  black.  Wetting  some  gunpowder,  he 
smeared  his  own  face  so  as  to  resemble  the  ad- 
verse party ;  then,  giving  the  hint  to  an  En- 
glishman, he  pretended  to  pursue  him  with  an 
uplifted  tomahawk.  The  Englishman  threw 
down  his  gun  and  fled,  but  a  few  steps  in  ad- 
vance of  his  pursuer.  The  Narragansets,  see- 
ing that  the  Indian  could  not  fail  to  overtake 


302  KING  PHILIP.  [1677. 

Escape  of  the  Indians.  Their  mode  of  accomplishing  it. 

and  dispatch  the  unarmed  fugitive,  did  not  in- 
terfere. Thus  they  entered  the  forest,  and  both 
escaped. 

A  friendly  Indian,  pursued  by  one  of  Nanun- 
tenoo's  men,  took  shelter  behind  the  roots  of  a 
fallen  tree.  The  Indian  who  had  pursued  him 
waited,  with  his  gun  cocked  and  primed,  for  the 
fugitive  to  start  again  from  his  retreat,  knowing 
that  he  would  not  dare  to  remain  there  long, 
when  hundreds  of  Indians  were  almost  sur- 
rounding him.  The  roots  of  the  tree,  newly- 
turned  up,  contained  a  large  quantity  of  adher- 
ing earth,  which  entirely  covered  the  fugitive 
from  view.  Cautiously  he  bored  a  small  hole 
through  the  earth,  took  deliberate  aim  at  his 
pursuer,  shot  him  down,  and  then  escaped. 

Another  of  the  Indian  allies,  in  his  flight, 
took  refuge  behind  a  large  rock.  This  was  a 
perfect  shelter  for  a  moment,  but  certain  death 
awaited  him  in  the  end.  His  pursuer,  with 
loaded  musket,  sure  of  his  victim,  quietly  wait- 
ed to  see  him  start  again.  In  this  deplorable 
condition  the  beleaguered  Indian  thought  of  the 
following  shrewd  expedient.  Putting  his  cap 
upon  his  gun,  he  raised  it  very  gradually  above 
the  rock,  as  if  he  were  endeavoring  to  peep  over 
to  discover  the  situation  of  his  enemy.  The 


1677.]  THE   INDIANS  VICTOEIOUS.    303 

Terrible  slaughter.  Storming  of  Providence. 

sharp-eyed  Narraganset  instantly  leveled  his 
gun  and  sent  a  bullet  through  the  cap,  and,  as 
he  supposed,  through  the  head  of  his  foe.  The 
fugitive  sprang  from  his  covert,  and,  advancing 
toward  his  unarmed  enemy,  shot  him  dead. 
Thus  was  escape  effected.  With  the  exception 
bf  one  Englishman  and  five  or  six  friendly  In- 
dians, all  the  rest  were  cut  down.  The  wounded 
were  reserved  for  the  horrible  doom  of  torture. 

The  Indians  were  exceedingly  elated  by  this 
signal  victory,  and  their  shouts  of  exultation 
were  loud  and  long-repeated.  The  next  morn- 
ing, with  yells  of  triumph,  they  crossed  the 
river,  made  a  rush  upon  Seekonk,  and  burned 
seventy  buildings.  The  next  day  they  stormed 
Providence,  and  burned  thirty  houses.  These 
devastations,  however,  were  not  accompanied 
with  much  bloodshed,  as  most  of  the  inhabit- 
ants of  Providence  and  of  Seekonk  had  previ- 
ously fled  to  the  island  of  Rhode  Island  for  pro- 
tection. 

The  heroic  Roger  Williams,  however,  remain- 
ed in  Providence.  He  had  ever  been  the  firm 
friend  of  the  Indians,  and  was  well  acquainted 
with  the  leading  chiefs  in  this  war-party.  The 
Indians,  while  setting  fire  to  the  rest  of  the 
town,  left  his  person  and  property  unharmed. 


304  KING   PHILIP.  [1677. 

Roger  Williams.  Nanuntenoo's  reply. 

Flushed  with  success,  they  assured  him  that 
they  were  confident  of  the  entire  conquest  of  the 
country,  and  of  the  utter  extermination  of  the 
English.  Mr.  Williams  reproached  them  with 
their  cruelties,  and  told  them  that  Massachu- 
setts could  raise  ten  thousand  men,  and  that 
even  were  the  Indians  to  destroy  them  all,  Old 
England  could  send  over  an  equal  number  ev- 
ery year  until  the  Indians  were  conquered. 
Nanuntenoo  proudly  and  generously  replied, 

"  We  shall  be  ready  for  them.  But  you,  Mr. 
Williams,  shall  never  be  injured,  for  you  are  a 
good  man,  and  have  been  kind  to  us." 

Nanuntenoo  had  about  fifteen  hundred  war- 
riors under  his  command.  Thinking  that  the 
English  were  very  effectually  driven  from  the 
region .  of  Seekonk,  he  very  imprudently  took 
but  thirty  men  and  went  to  that  vicinity,  hoping 
to  obtain  some  seed-corn  to  plant  the  fields 
upon  the  Connecticut  from  which  the  English 
had  been  expelled.  But  the  English,  alarmed 
by  the  ravages  which  the  Indians  were  commit- 
ting in  this  region,  sent  a  force  consisting  of 
forty-seven  Englishmen  and  eighty  Indians  to 
scour  the  country.  Most  of  the  Indians  were 
Mohegans,  under  the  command  of  Oneco,  a  son 
of  Uncas. 


1G77.J  THE  INDIANS  VICTORIOUS.     305 

Cowardly  sentinels.  Alarm  of  the  chief. 

As  this  force  was  approaching  Seekonk  they 
encountered  two  Indians  with  their  squaws. 
They  instantly  shot  the  Indians  and  took  the 
squaws  captive.  Their  prisoners  informed  them 
that  Nanuntenoo  was  in  a*  wigwam  at  a  short 
distance,  with  but  seven  Indians  around  him. 
His  hut  was  erected  at  the  bottom  of  a  hill, 
upon  the  brow  of  which  he  had  stationed  two 
sentinels.  These  cowardly  savages,  when  they 
saw  the  English  approaching  in  such  force,  pre- 
cipitately fled,  without  giving  their  chieftain  any 
warning.  The  sachem,  from  his  wigwam,  saw 
their  flight,  and  sent  a  third  man  to  the  hill-top 
to  ascertain  the  cause.  As  soon  as  he  arrived 
upon  the  brow  of  the  hill  he  saw  the  glittering 
array  of  more  than  a  hundred  men  almost  di- 
rectly upon  him.  Appalled  by  the  sight,  he 
also  fled  like  his  predecessors.  Nanuntenoo, 
amazed  by  this  conduct,  dispatched  two  more 
to  solve  the  mystery.  These  last  proved  more 
faithful  to  their  trust.  They  came  running 
back  in  breathless  haste,  shouting,  "  The  En- 
glish are  upon  you" 

Not  a  moment  was  to  be  lost  in  deliberation. 
The  enemy  was  already  in  sight.  Nanuntenoo 
leaped  from  his  wigwam,  and,  with  the  agility 
of  a  deer,  bounded  over  the  ground  in  a  hope- 

2—20 


306  KING   PHILIP.  [1677. 

Flight  of  Xanuntenoo.  His  capture. 

less  attempt  to  escape.  Nearly  the  whole  ar- 
my, English  and  Indians,  like  hounds  in  full 
cry,  eagerly  pressed  the  chase. 

With  amazing  speed,  the  tall,  athletic  sachem 
fled  along  the  bank  of  the  river,  seeking  a  place 
to  ford  the  stream.  In  his  rapid  flight  he  threw 
off  his  blanket,  his  silver-laced  coat,  and  his  belt 
of  wampum,  so  that  nothing  remained  to  ob- 
struct his  sinewy  and  finely-moulded  limbs.  A 
Mohegan  Indian  was  in  advance  of  all  the  rest 
of  the  company  in  the  pursuit.  Nanuntenoo 
plunged  into  the  narrow  stream  to  cross.  His 
foot  slipped  upon  a  stone,  and  he  fell,  immers- 
ing his  gun  in  the  water.  This  calamity  ao 
disheartened  him  that  he  lost  all  his  strength. 
His  swift-footed  pursuer,  Monopoide,  was  im- 
mediately upon  him,  and  grasped  him  almost  as 
soon  as  he  reached  the  opposite  shore.  The 
naked  and  unarmed  chief  could  make  no  resist- 
ance, and,  with  stoicism  characteristic  of  his 
race,  submitted  to  his  fate. 

Nanuntenoo  was  a  man  of  majestic  stature, 
and  of  bearing  as  lofty  as  if  he  had  been  trained 
in  the  most  haughty  of  European  courts.  A 
young  Englishman,  but  twenty-one  years  of  age, 
Robert  Staunton,  following  Monopoide,  was  the 
first  one  who  came  up  to  the  Narraganset  chief- 


1677.]  THE  INDIANS  VICTORIOUS.     307 

Young  America  rebuked.  Execution  of  the  saclie 

tain  after  his  capture.  Young  Staunton,  in  the 
pert  spirit  of  Young  America,  ventured  to  ques- 
tion the  proud  monarch  of  the  Narragansets. 
Nanuntenoo,  looking  disdainfully  upon  his 
youthful  face,  after  a  short  silence,  said, 

"  You  are  too  much  of  a  child — you  do  not 
understand  matters  of  war.  Let  your  chief 
come  ;  him  I  will  answer." 

He  was  offered  life  upon  condition  that  he 
would  submit  to  the  English,  and  deliver  up  to 
them  all  the  Wampanoags  in  his  territory. 

"  Let  me  hear  no  more  of  this,"  he  replied, 
nobly.  "  I  will  not  surrender  a  Wampanoag, 
nor  the  paring  of  a  Wampanoag's  nail." 

He  was  taken  to  Stonington,  where  he  was 
sentenced  to  be  shot.  When  informed  of  his 
doom,  he  replied,  in  the  spirit  of  an  old  Roman, 

"  I  like  it  well.  I  shall  die  before  my  heart 
is  soft,  or  before  I  have  said  any  thing  unwor- 
thy of  myself." 

He  was  shot  by  one  of  the  Indians  who  were 
in  alliance  with  the  English ;  his  head  was  cut 
off  by  them,  and  his  body  quartered  and  burned. 
The  Indians  who  aided  the  colonists  were  al- 
ways eager  for  any  work  of  blood,  and  consid- 
ered it  a  great  privilege  to  enjoy  the  pleasures 
of  executioners.  They  often  imolored  permis- 


308  KING   PHILIP.  [1677. 

.Statement  of  Cotton  Mather.  Character  of  Nanuntenoo. 

sion  to  torture  their  enemies,  and  several  times 
the  English,  to  their  shame  be  it  recorded,  al- 
lowed them  to  do  so.  In  this  case,  "The 
mighty  sachem  of  Narraganset,"  writes  Cotton 
Mather,  "the  English  wisely  delivered  unto 
their  tawny  auxiliaries  for  them  to  cut  off  his 
head,  that  so  the  alienation  between  them  and 
the  wretches  in  hostility  against  us  might  be- 
come incurable." 

His  head,  a  ghastly  trophy  of  victory,  was 
sent  by  the  Mohegans  to  the  Common  Council 
at  Hartford,  in  token  of  their  love  and  fidelity 
to  the  English.  The  spirit  of  the  times  may  be 
inferred  from  the  following  comments  upon  this 
transaction  in  the  narrative  written  by  Hub- 
bard  :  "  This  was  the  confusion  of  that  damned 
wretch  that  had  often  opened  his  mouth  to 
blaspheme  the  name  of  the  living  God  and 
those  that  made  profession  thereof." 

We  can  not  take  leave  of  Nanuntenoo  with- 
out a  tribute  of  respect  to  his  heroic  and  noble 
character.  "  His  refusal,"  writes  Francis  Bay- 
lies, "to  betray  the  Wampanoags  who  had 
sought  his  protection  is  another  evidence  of  his 
lofty  and  generous  spirit,  and  his  whole  con- 
duct after  his  capture  was  such  that  surely,  at 
this  period,  we  may  be  allowed  to  lament  the 


1677.]  THE   INDIANS  VICTORIOUS.     309 

I-eril  of  the  settlers.  Mutual  disasters. 

unhappy  fate  of  this  noble  Indian  without  in- 
curring any  imputation  for  want  of  patriotism." 

The  inhabitants  of  New  London,  Norwich, 
and  Stonington,  being  in  great  peril  in  conse- 
quence of  their  near  vicinity  to  the  enemy, 
raised  several  parties  of  volunteers  and  ranged 
the  country.  They  succeeded  in  these  expe- 
ditions in  killing  two  hundred  and  thirty-nine 
of  the  enemy  without  incurring  the  loss  of  a 
single  man.  As  most  of  the  inhabitants  of  the 
towns  had  found  it  necessary  to  take  refuge  in 
garrison  houses,  prowling  bands  of  Indians  ex- 
perienced but  little  difficulty  in  setting  fire  to 
the  abandoned  dwellings  and  barns,  and  the 
sky  was  every  night  illumined  with  conflagra- 
tions. 

On  the  ninth  of  April  a  small  party  made  an 
attack  upon  Bridgewater.  They  plundered 
several  houses,  and  were  commencing  the  con- 
flagration, when  the  inhabitants  sallied  forth 
and  put  them  to  flight.  It  is  said  that  Philip 
had  given  orders  that  the  town  of  Taunton 
should  be  spared  until  all  the  other  towns  in 
the  colony  were  destroyed.  A  family  by  the 
name  of  Leonard  resided  in  Taunton,  where 
they  had  erected  the  first  forge  which  was  estab- 
lished in  the  English  colonies.  Philip,  though 


310  KING  PHILIP.  [1677. 

Philip's  affection  for  Taunton.  A  family  save  a  town. 

his  usual  residence  was  at  Mount  Hope,  had  a 
favorite  summer  resort  at  a  place  called  Fowl- 
ing Pond,  then  within  the  limits  of  Taunton, 
but  now  included  in  the  town  of  Raynham. 
In  these  excursions  he  had  become  acquainted 
with  the  Leonards.  They  had  treated  him  and 
his  followers  with  uniform  kindness,  repairing 
their  guns,  and  supplying  them  with  such  tools 
as  the  Indians  highly  prized.  Philip  had  be- 
come exceedingly  attached  to  this  family,  and 
in  gratitude,  at  the  commencement  of  the  war, 
had  given  the  strictest  orders  that  the  Indians 
should  never  injure  a  Leonard.  Apprehending 
that  in  a  general  assault  upon  the  town  his 
friends  the  Leonards  might  be  exposed  to  dan- 
ger, he  spread  the  shield  of  his  generous  protec- 
tion over  the  whole  place.  This  act  certainly 
develops  a  character  of  more  than  ordinary 
magnanimity. 

On  the  18th  of  April  an  immense  band  of 
savages,  five  hundred  in  number,  made  an  im- 
petuous assault  upon  Sudbury.  The  inhabit- 
ants, warned  of  their  approach,  had  abandoned 
their  homes  and  taken  refuge  in  their  garrisons. 
The  savages  set  fire  to  several  of  the  dwellings, 
and  were  dancing  exultingly  around  the  flames, 
when  a  small  band  of  soldiers  from  Watertown 


1677.]  THE   INDIANS  VICTORIOUS.     313 

Captain  Wadsworth.  Attempt  to  save  Sudbury. 

came  to  the  rescue,  and  the  inmates  of  the  gar- 
rison, sallying  forth,  joined  them,  and  drove  the 
Indians  across  the  river. 

Captain  Wadsworth,  from  Boston,  chanced 
to  be  in  the  vicinity  with  about  seventy  men. 
Hearing  of  the  extreme  peril  of  Sudbury,  al- 
though he  had  marched  all  the  day  and  all  the 
night  before,  and  his  men  were  exhausted  with 
fatigue,  he  instantly  commenced  his  inarch  for 
that  place.  Painfully  toiling  on  through  the 
night  by  the  road  leading  from  Marlborough, 
early  on  the  morning  of  the  19th  he  arrived 
within  a  mile  and  a  half  of  the  town.  Here 
the  Indians,  who  by  their  scouts  had  kept  them- 
selves informed  of  his  approach,  prepared  an 
ambush.  As  the  English  were  marching  along 
with  great  caution,  a  band  of  about  a  hundred 
Indians  crossed  their  path  some  distance  in  ad- 
vance of  them,  and  fled,  feigning  a  panic.  The 
English  pursued  them  impetuously  about  a  mile 
into  the  woods,  when  the  fugitives  made  a  stand, 
and  five  huifdred  Indians  sprang  up  from  their 
concealment,  and  hurled  a  storm  of  lead  into 
the  faces  of  their  foes. 

The  English,  with  singular  intrepidity,  form- 
ed themselves  into  a  compact  mass,  and  by  un- 
erring aim  and  rapid  firing  kept  their  foes  at 


314  KING   PHILIP.  [1677. 

The  woods  fired.  The  English  conquered. 

bay  while,  slowly  retreating,  they  ascended  an 
adjacent  hill.  Here  for  five  hours  they  main- 
tained the  conflict  against  such  fearful  odds. 
The  superior  skill  of  the  English  with  the  mus- 
ket rendered  their  fire  much  more  fatal  than 
that  of  their  foes.  Many  of  the  savage  warriors 
were  struck  down,  and  they  bit  the  dust  in 
their  rage  and  dying  agony,  while  but  five  or' 
six  of  the  English  had  been  slain. 

The  wind  was  high,  and  a  drought  had  render- 
ed the  leaves  of  the  forest  dry  as  powder.  Some 
shrewd  savage  thought  of  the  fatal  expedient  of 
setting  the  forest  on  fire  to  the  windward  of 
their  foes.  The  stratagem  was  crowned  with 
signal  success.  A  wide  sheet  of  flame,  roaring 
and  crackling  like  a  furnace,  and  emitting  bil- 
lows of  smothering  smoke,  rolled  toward  the 
doomed  band.  The  fierceness  of  the  flames, 
and  the  blinding,  suffocating  smoke,  soon  drove 
the  English  in  confusion  from  their  advantage- 
ous position.  The  Indians,  piercing  them  with 
bullets,  rushed  upon  them  with  the*  tomahawk, 
and  nearly  every  man  in  the  party  was  slain. 
Some  accounts  say  that  Captain  Wadsworth's 
company  was  entirely  cut  off;  others  say  that 
a  few  escaped  to  a  mill,  where  they  defended 
themselves  until  succor  arrived.  President 


1077.]  THE  INDIANS  VICTORIOUS.     317 

A  monument  erected.  Delight  in  torture. 

Wadsworth,  of  Harvard  College,  was  the  son 
of  Captain  Wadsworth.  He  subsequently  erect- 
ed a  modest  monument  over  the  grave  of  these 
heroes.  It  is  probably  still  standing,  west  of 
Sudbury  causeway,  on  the  old  road  from  Bos- 
ton to  Worcester.  The  inscription  upon  the 
stone  is  now  admitted  to  be  incorrect  in  many 
of  its  particulars.  It  is  said  that  one  hundred 
and  twenty  Indians  were  slain  in  this  conflict. 

These  successes  wonderfully  elated  the  In- 
dians. They  sent  a  defiant  and  derisive  mes- 
sage to  Plymouth : 

'   "  Have  a  good  dinner  ready  for  us,  for  we 
intend  to  dine  with  you  on  election  day." 

In  this  awful  warfare,  every  day  had  its  story 
of  crime  and  woe.  Unlike  the  movement  of 
powerful  armies  among  civilized  nations,  the 
Indians  were  wandering  every  where,  burning 
houses  and  slaughtering  families  wherever  an 
opportunity  was  presented.  They  seemed  to 
take  pleasure  in  wreaking  their  vengeance  even 
upon  the  cattle.  They  would  cut  out  the 
tongues  of  the  poor  creatures,  and  leave  them 
to  die  in  their  misery.  They  would  shut  them 
up  in  hovels,  set  fire  to  the  buildings,  and 
amuse  themselves  in  watching  the  writhings  of 
the  animals  as  they  were  slowly  roasted  in  the 


318  KING  PHILIP.     .         [1677. 

Mode  of  torture.  Attack  upon  Scituate. 

flames.  Nearly  all  the  men  who  were  taken 
captive  they  tortured  to  death.  "  And  that  the 
reader  may  understand,"  says  Cotton  Mather, 
"what  it  is  to  be  taken  by  such  devils  incar- 
nate, I  shall  here  inform  him.  They  stripped 
these  unhappy  prisoners,  and  caused  them  to 
run  the  gauntlet,  and  whipped  them  after  a 
cruel  and  bloody  manner.  They  then  threw 
hot  ashes  upon  them,  and,  cutting  off  collops 
of  their  flesh,  they  put  fire  into  their  wounds, 
and  so,  with  exquisite,  leisurely,  horrible  tor- 
ments, roasted  them  out  of  the  world." 

On  the  20th  of  April  a  band  of  fifty  Indians 
made  an  attack  upon  Scituate,  and,  though  the 
inhabitants  speedily  rallied  and  assailed  them 
with  great  bravery,  they  succeeded  in  plunder- 
ing and  burning  nineteen  houses  and  barns. 
They  proceeded  along  the  road,  avoiding  the 
block-houses,  and  burning  all  that  were  unpro- 
tected. They  approached  one  house  where  an 
aged  woman,  Mrs.  Ewing,  was  alone  with  an  in- 
fant grandchild  asleep  in  the  cradle.  As  she 
saw  the  savages  rushing  down  the  hill  toward 
her  dwelling,  in  a  delirium  of  terror  she  fled  to 
the  garrison  house,  which  was  about  sixty  rods 
distant,  forgetting  the  child.  The  savages 
rushed  into  the  house,  plundered  it  of  a  few  ar- 


1677.]  THE   INDIANS  VICTORIOUS.    319 

Heroism  of  Mrs.  Ewing.  Attack  upon  Bridgewater. 

tides,  not  noticing  the  sleeping  infant,  and  then 
hastened  to  make  an  assault  upon  the  garrison. 
A  fierce  fight  ensued.  In  the  midst  of  the  hor= 
rid  scene  of  smoke,  uproar,  and  blood,  Mrs.  Ew- 
ing, with  heroism  almost  unparalleled,  stole 
from  the  garrison  unperceived,  by  a  circuitous 
path  reached  the  house,  rescued  the  babe,  still 
unconsciously  sleeping,  and  bore  it  in  safety  to 
the  garrison.  Soon  after  this,  the  savages,  re- 
pelled from  their  assault,  set  fire  to  her  house, 
and  it  was  consumed  to  ashes.  All  the  day 
long  the  battle  and  the  destruction  continued 
in  different  parts  of  the  town.  There  were 
several  garrisoned  houses  which  the  Indians 
attacked  with  great  spirit,  but  in  every  case 
they  met  with  a  repulse.  Many  of  the  savages 
were  shot,  and  a  few  of  the  English  lost  their 
lives. 

On  the  8th  of  May  a  band  of  three  hundred 
Indians  made  a  very  fierce  attack  upon  Bridge- 
water.  The  inhabitants  had  fortunately  re- 
ceived warning  of  the  contemplated  assault,  and 
had  most  of  them  repaired  to  their  garrisoned 
houses.  The  savages,  hoping  to  take  the  place 
by  surprise,  with  fearful  yells  rushed  from  the 
forest  upon  the  south  part  of  the  town.  Disap- 
pointed in  finding  all  the  inhabitants  sheltered 


32C  KING  PHILIP.   %          [1677. 

Valor  of  the  English  triumphs.      Deplorable  condition  of  the  English. 

in  their  fortresses,  they  immediately  commenced 
setting  fire  to  the  buildings.  But  the  inhabit- 
ants boldly  sallied  forth  to  protect  their  proper- 
ty, and  the  Indians,  though  greatly  outnum- 
bering: them,  fled  before  their  determined  valor, 
o 

They  succeeded,  however,  in  burning  some  thir- 
teen houses. 

The  condition  of  the  colonists  was  at  this 
time  deplorable  in  the  extreme.  During  the 
campaign  thus  far  the  Indians  had  been  signally 
successful,  and  had  effected  an  inconceivable 
amount  of  destruction  and  suffering.  The  sun 
of  spring  had  now  returned ;  the  snow  had 
melted,  and  the  buds  were  bursting.  It  was 
time  to  plow  the  fields  and  scatter  the  seed  ;  but 
universal  consternation  and  despair  prevailed. 
Every  day  brought  its  report  of  horror.  Prowl- 
ing bands  of  savages  were  every  where.  No 
one  could  go  into  the  field  or  step  from  his  own 
door  without  danger  of  being  shot  by  some  In- 
dian lying  in  ambush.  It  was  an  hour  of  gloom 
into  which  scarcely  one  ray  of  hope  could  pen- 
etrate. 


1077.]     VICISSITUDES  OF  WAR.          321 

An  ambush  discovered.  Information  given. 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE  VICISSITUDES  OF  WAR. 

i 

DURING  this  terrible  war  there  were  many 
deeds  of  heroic  courage  performed  which 
merit  record.  A  man  by  the  name  of  Rocket, 
in  the  town  of  Wrentham,  was  in  the  woods 
searching  for  his  horse.  Much  to  his  alarm,  lie 
discovered,  far  off  in  the  forest,  a  band  of  forty- 
two  Indians,  in  single  file,  silently  and  noise- 
lessly passing  along,  apparently  seeking  a  place 
of  concealment.  They  were  all  thoroughly 
armed.  Mr.  Rocket  without  difficulty  eluded 
their  observation,  and  then,  at  some  distance 
behind,  cautiously  followed  in  their  trail.  It 
was  late  in  the  afternoon,  and,  just  before  twi- 
light was  fading  into  darkness,  the  Indians 
found  a  spot  which  they  deemed  safe,  but  a  short 
distance  from  the  town,  in  which  to  pass  the 
night.  It  was  a  large  flat  rock,  upon  the  brow 
of  a  steep  hill,  where  they  were  quite  surround- 
ed by  almost  impenetrable  bushes. 

Rocket,  having  marked  the  place  well,  hast- 
ened back  to  the  town.  It  was  then  near  nu'd- 

2—21 


322  KING   PHILIP.  [1677. 

Preparation  for  a  surprise.  Sudden  attack. 

night.  The  inhabitants  were  immediately 
aroused,  informed  of  their  peril,  and  the  women 
and  children  were  all  placed  safely  in  the  gar- 
rison house,  and  a  small  party  was  left  for  their 
defense.  The  remaining  men  capable  of  bear- 
ing arms,  but  thirteen  in  number,  then  hastened 
through  the  forest,  guided  by  Rocket,  and  ar- 
rived an  hour  before  the  break  of  day  at  the  en- 
campment of  the  Indians.  With  the  utmost 
caution,  step  by  step,  they  crept  within  musket 
shot  of  their  sleeping  foes.  Every  man  took 
his  place,  and  endeavored  to  single  out  his  vic- 
tim. It  was  agreed  that  not  a  gun  should  be 
fired  until  the  Indians  should  commence  rising 
from  their  sleep,  and  the  morning  light  should 
give  the  colonists  fair  aim. 

An  hour  of  breathless  and  moveless  silence 
passed  away.  In  the  earliest  dawn  of  the 
morning,  just  as  a  few  rays  of  light  began  to 
stream  along  the  eastern  horizon,  the  Indians, 
as  if  by  one  volition,  sprang  from  their  hard 
couch.  A  sudden  discharge  of  musketry  rang 
through  the  forest,  and  thirteen  bullets  pierced 
as  many  bodies.  Appalled  by  so  sudden  an  at- 
tack and  such  terrible  slaughter,  the  survivors, 
unaware  of  the  feebleness  of  the  force  by  which 
they  were  assailed,  plunged  down  the  precipi- 


1677.]     VICISSITUDES  OF  WAR.         323 

The  Indians  vanquished.  Escape  of  two  boys. 

tous  hill,  tumbling  over  each  other,  and  rolling 
among  the  rocks.  The  adventurous  band  eag- 
erly pursued  them,  and  shot  at  them  as  they 
would  at  deer  flying  through  the  forest.  Many 
more  thus  fell.  One  keen  marksman  struck 
down  an  Indian  at  the  distance  of  eighty  rods, 
breaking  his  thigh  bone.  In  this  short  encoun- 
ter twenty-four  of  the  Indians  were  slain.  The 
remainder  escaped  into  the  depths  of  the  forest. 
The  heroes  of  this  adventure  all  returned  in 
safety  to  their  homes,  no  one  having  been  in- 
jured. It  was  undoubtedly  the  intention  of  this 
prowling  band  to  have  attacked  and  fired  the 
town  as  soon  as  the  inhabitants  had  been  scat- 
tered in  the  morning  in  their  fields  at  work. 

Soon  after  this,  two  English  boys,  who  had 
been  captured  by  the  Indians  and  taken  to  the 
upper  waters  of  the  Connecticut,  escaped,  and, 
following  down  the  river,  succeeded  in  reaching 
the  settlements.  They  gave  information  that 
the  Indians,  in  large  numbers,  were  encamped 
upon  the  banks  of  the  river,  just  above  the  pres- 
ent site  of  Deerfield.  Supposing  that  all  the 
energies  of  the  colonists  were  employed  in  en- 
deavoring to  arrest  the  ravages  which  were  tak- 
ing place  in  the  towns  nearer  the  seaboard,  they 
were  indulging  in  careless  security. 


324  KING  PHILIP.  [1677. 


A  surprise  party.  Ita  perfect  success. 

The  inhabitants  of  Hadley,  Hatfield,  and 
Northampton  promptly  raised  a  force  of  one 
hundred  and  fifty  mounted  men  to  attack  them. 
On  the  night  of  the  18th  of  May  they  left 
Hadley,  and,  traveling  as  fast  as  they  could 
about  twenty  miles,  through  the  dead  of  night, 
arrived  a  little  after  midnight  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  Indian  encampment.  Here  they  alighted, 
tied  their  horses  to  some  young  trees,  and  then 
cautiously  crept  through  the  forest  about  half  a 
mile,  when,  still  in  the  gloom  of  the  rayless 
morning,  they  dimly  discerned  the  wigwams  of 
the  savages.  Concealing  themselves  within 
musket  shot,  they  waited  patiently  for  the  light 
to  reveal  their  foes.  The  Indians  were  in  a 
very  dead  sleep  from  a  great  debauch  in  which 
they  had  engaged  during  the  early  part  of  the 
night.  The  night  had  been  warm,  and  they 
were  sleeping  upon  the  ground  around  their 
wigwams.  At  an  appointed  signal,  every  gun 
was  discharged  upon  the  slumberers,  and  a 
storm  of  bullets  fell  upon  them  and  swept 
through  their  wigwams.  Many  were  instantly 
killed,  and  many  wounded.  The  survivors,  in 
a  terrible  panic,  men,  women,  and  children, 
sprang  from  the  ground  and  rushed  to  the  river, 
attempting  to  escape  to  the  other  shore. 


1677.J     VICISSITUDES   OF  WAE.         325 

Slaughter  of  the  Indians.  Burning  the  wigwams. 

They  were  just  above  some  rapids,  where 
the  current  was  very  swift  and  strong.  Num- 
bers attempted  to  swim  across  the  stream,  but 
were  swept  by  the  torrent  over  the  falls.  Some 
sprang  into  canoes  and  pushed  from  the  shore. 
They  presented  but  a  fair  mark  for  the  bullets 
of  the  colonists.  Wounded  and  bleeding,  and 
whirled  by  the  eddies,  they  were  dashed  against 
the  rocks,  and  perished  miserably.  Many  en- 
deavored to  hide  in  the  bushes  and  among  the 
rocks  upon  the  shore.  Captain  Holyoke  killed 
five  with  his  own  hand  under  a  bank.  About 
three  hundred  Indians  were  slain  or  drowned 
in  the  awful  tumult  of  these  midnight  hours. 
Several  of  the  most  conspicuous  of  the  Indian 
chiefs  were  killed.  Only  one  white  man  lost 
his  life.  In  the  midst  of  the  confusion  the  wig- 
wams of  the  Indians  were  set  on  fire,  and  the 
black  night  was  illumined  by  the  lurid  confla- 
gration.,, The  flashing  flames,  the  dark  billows 
of  smoke,  the  rattle  of  musketry,  the  shouts  of 
the  assailants,  the  shrieks  of  women  and  chil- 
dren, and  the  yells  of  the  savage  warriors,  pre- 
sented a  picture  of  earthly  woe  which  neither 
the  pen  nor  the  pencil  can  portray. 

At  last  the  morning  dawned.  The  sun  of  a 
serene  and  beautiful  May  day  rose  over  the 


326  KING  PHILIP.  [1677. 

Refreshment  after  battle.  Alarm  of  the  party. 

spectacle  of  smouldering  ruins  and  blood.  The 
victors,  weary  of  sleeplessness,  of  their  night's 
march,  and  of  the  carnage,  sat  down  among  the 
smoking  brands  and  amid  the  bodies  of  the  slain 
to  seek  refreshment  and  repose  in  this  exultant 
hour  of  victory. 

But  disaster,  all  unanticipated,  came  upon 
them  with  the  sweep  of  the  whirlwind.  It  so 
happened  that  Philip  himself  was  near  with  a 
thousand  warriors.  A  captured  Indian  inform- 
ed them  of  this  fact,  and  instantly  the  victors 
were  in  a  great  panic.  They  were  but  one 
hundred  and  fifty  in  number.  Their  only  re- 
treat was  by  a  narrow  trail  through  the  woods 
of  more  than  twenty  miles.  A  thousand  sav- 
age warriors,  roused  to  the  highest  pitch  of  ex- 
asperation, and  led  by  the  terrible  King  Philip, 
were  expected  momentarily  to  fall  upon  them. 
It  was  known  that  the  fugitives,  who  had  scat- 
tered through  the  woods,  would  speedily  com- 
municate the  tidings  of  the  attack  to  Philip's 
band. 

The  colonists,  in  much  confusion,  immediate- 
ly commenced  a  precipitate  retreat.  They  had 
hardly  mounted  their  horses  ere  the  whole  body 
of  savages,  like  famished  wolves,  with  the  most 
dismal  yells  and  howlings,  came  rushing  upon 


1677.]     VICISSITUDES   OF   WAE.         327 

Terrible  peril.  Bravery  of  Captain  Holyoke.  Heroic  action. 

them.  The  peril  was  so  terrible  that  there 
seemed  to  be  no  hope  of  escape.  But  there  are 
no  energies  like  the  energies  of  despair.  Every 
man  resolved,  in  the  calmness  of  the  absolute 
certainty  of  death,  to  sell  his  life  as  dearly  as 
possible.  Captain  Holyoke  was  a  man  equal 
to  the  emergency,  and  every  member  of  his  hero- 
ic little  band  had  perfect  confidence  in  his  cour- 
age and  his  skill.  Silently,  sternly,  sublimely, 
in  a  mass  as  compact  as  possible,  they  moved 
slowly  on.  Every  eye  was  on  the  alert ;  every 
man  had  his  finger  to  the  trigger.  Their  guns 
were  heavily  loaded,  that  the  balls  might  be 
thrown  to  a  great  distance.  Not  an  Indian 
could  expose  his  body  but  that  he  fell  before 
the  unerring  aim  of  these  keen  marksmen. 

Captain  Holyoke  exposed  himsejf  to  every 
danger  in  front,  on  the  flanks,  and  in  the  rear. 
His  own  lion-like  energy  was  infused  into  the 
spirit  of  his  men,  and  he  animated  them  *o  pro- 
digious exertions.  His  horse  was  at  one  time 
shot,  and  fell  beneath  him.  Before  he  could  ex- 
tricate himself  from  his  entanglement,  a  band  of 
Indians  threw  themselves  upon  him.  Two  of 
them  he  shot  down  with  his  pistols,  and  then 
with  his  sword  cut  his  way  through  the  rest,  aid' 
ed  by  a  single  soldier  who  came  to  his  rescue. 


KI:;G  PHILIP,  J1677. 

Dawn  ol  hope.  Kscape.  Rage  of  the  Indians. 

As  they  toiled  along,  pursued  by  the  infuriate 
foe  and  harassed  by  a  merciless  fire,  many  were 
wounded,  and  every  few  moments  one  would 
drop  lifeless  upon  the  ground.  The  survivors 
could  do  nothing  to  help  the  dead  or  the  dying. 
Hour  after  hour  passed,  and  at  length  unex- 
pected hope  began  to  dawn  upon  them.  They 
were  evidently  holding  the  Indians  at  bay. 
Could  they  continue  thus  for  a  few  hours  lon- 
ger, they  would  be  so  near  the  settlements  that 
the  Indians,  in  their  turn,  would  be  compelled  to 
retreat.  Though  it  was  evident  that  their  loss 
must  be  great,  there  was  now  hope  that  the  ma- 
jority would  escape.  Thus  animated,  they  ac- 
celerated their  march,  and  at  length,  having  lost 
about  forty  by  the  way,  they  emerged  upon  the 
clearings  of  the  settlements,  Avhere  the  savages 
dared  to  pursue  them  no  longer.  With  howls 
of  disappointment  and  rage,  the  discomfited 
Indians  returned  to  their  forest  fastnesses,  and 
the  heroic  band,  having  lost  about  one  third  of 
their  number,  and  with  nearly  all  of  the  surviv- 
ors exhausted,  wounded,  and  bleeding,  were  re- 
ceived by  their  friends  with  throbbing  hearts, 
and  with  blended  tears  of  bliss  and  woe.  Those 
who,  while  still  living,  fell  into  the  hands  of  the 
Indians,  were  put  to  death  by  tortures  too  hor- 
rible to  be  described. 


1677.]     VICISSITUDES  OF  WAR.          329 

Assault  upon  Hatfield.  Unexpected  assistance.  Heroism. 

A  fortnight  after  this,  on  the  30th  of  May, 
the  men  of  Hatfield  were  all  at  work  in  the 
fields,  having,  as  usual,  established  a  careful 
\vatch  to  guard  against  surprise.  All  the  houses 
in  the  centre  of  the  town  were  surrounded  by  a 
palisade,  but  there  were  several  at  a  distance 
which  could  not  be  included.  One  old  man 
only  was  left  within  the  palisades  to  open  and 
bar  the  gate. 

Suddenly  a  band  of  Indians,  between  six  and 
seven  hundred  in  number,  plunged  into  the  town 
between  the  palisades  and  the  party  at  work  in 
the  fields,  thus  effectually  cutting  off  the  retreat 
of  the  colonists  to  their  fortress.  They  imme- 
diately commenced  a  fierce  attack  upon  the  pal- 
isades, that  they  might  get  at  the  women,  the 
children,  and  the  booty.  The  people  of  Had- 
ley,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  witnessed 
the  assault.  Twenty-five  young  men  of  Had- 
ley  promptly  crossed  the  river,  threw  them- 
selves unexpectedly  and  like  a  thunderbolt  upon 
the  band  of  seven  hundred  savages,  cut  their 
way  through  them,  and  gained  an  entrance 
within  the  palisades,  having  lost  but  five  of  their 
number.  Where  has  history  recorded  a  deed  of 
nobler  heroism  ?  In  their  impetuous  rush  they 
<>.ut  down  twenty-five  of  their  foes.  The  In- 


330  KING  PHILIP.  [1677. 

Attack  upon  Hadley.  A  sudden  appearance. 

dians,  intimidated  by  so  daring  an  act,  feared  to 
approach  the  palisades  thus  garrisoned,  and  sul- 
lenly retired.  The  men  in  the  fields  took  ref- 
uge in  a  log  house.  The  savages  spread  them- 
selves over  the  meadows,  drove  off  all  the  oxen, 
cows,  and  sheep,  and  burned  twelve  houses  and 
barns  which  were  beyond  the  reach  of  protec- 
tion. 

On  the  12th  of  June,  the  Indians,  seven  hund- 
red in  number,  made  an  attack  upon  Hadley, 
and  hid  themselves  in  the  bushes  at  its  south- 
ern extremity,  while  they  sent  a  strong  party 
around  to  make  an  assault  from  the  north.  At 
a  given  signal,  when  the  first  light  of  the  morn- 
ing appeared,  with  their  accustomed  yells,  they 
leaped  from  their  concealment,  and  rushed  like 
demons  upon  the  town.  The  English,  undis- 
mayed, met  them  at  the  palisades.  The  battle 
raged  for  some  time  with  very  great  fury. 

In  the  midst  of  this  scene  of  tumult  and 
blood,  when  the  battle  seemed  turning  against 
the  English,  there  suddenly  appeared  a  man  of 
gray  hairs  and  venerable  aspect,  and  dressed  in 
antique  apparel,  who,  with  the  voice  and  mari- 
ner of  one  accustomed  to  command,  took  at  once 
the  direction  of  affairs.  There  was  such  an  air 
of  authority  in  his  words  and  gestures,  the  direc- 


1677.]     VICISSITUDES  OF  WAR.         331 

Superstition.  General  Goffe.  Old  tradition. 

tions  he  gave  were  so  manifestly  wise,  and  he 
seemed  so-  perfectly  familiar  with  all  military 
tactics,  that,  by  instinctive  assent,  all  [yielded 
to  his  command.  Those  were  days  of  super- 
stition, and  the  aspect  of  the  stranger  was  so 
singular,  and  his  sudden  appearance  so  inex- 
plicable and  providential,  that  it  was  generally 
supposed  that  God  had  sent  a  guardian  angel 
for  the  salvation  of  the  settlement.  When  the 
Indians  retreated  the  stranger  disappeared,  and 
nothing  further  was  heard  of  him. 

The  supposed  angel  was  General  Goffe,  one 
of  the  judges  who  had  condemned  Charles  I.  to 
the  block.  After  the  restoration,  these  judges 
were  condemned  to  death.  Great  efforts  were 
made  to  arrest  them.  Two  of  them,  Generals 
G  offe  and  Whalley,  fled  to  this  country.  They 
were  both  at  this  time  secreted  in  Hadley,  in 
the  house  of  the  Eev.  Mr.  Russell.  Mr.  Whal- 
ley was  aged  and  infirm.  General  Goffe,  see- 
ing the  village  in  imminent  peril,  left  his  con- 
cealment, joined  the  inhabitants,  and  took  a 
very  active  part  in  the  defense.  It  was  not 
until  after  the  lapse  of  fifteen  years  that  these 
facts  were  disclosed.  The  tradition  is  that 
both  of  these  men  died  in  their  concealment, 
and  that  they  were  secretly  buried  in  the  min- 


332  KING   PHILIP.  [1677. 

Union  of  forces.  Philip's  stratagem. 

ister's  cellar.  Their  bodies  were  afterward  pri- 
vately conveyed  to  New  Haven. 

It  so  happened  that  the  Connecticut  colony  had 
just  raised  a  standing  army  of  two  hundred  and 
fifty  English  and  two  hundred  Mohegan  Indians, 
and  had  sent  them  to  Northampton,  but  a  few 
miles  from  Hadley,  for  the  protection  of  the 
river  towns.  A  force  of  several  hundred  men 
also  marched  from  Boston  to  co-operate  with 
the  Connecticut  troops.  The  settlements  upon 
the  river  were  thus  so  effectually  protected  that 
Philip  saw  that  it  would  be  in  vain  for  him  to 
attempt  any  farther  assaults. 

He  therefore  sent  most  of  his  warriors  to 
ravage  the  towns  along  the  sea-coast.  It  is 
generally  reported  that,  about  this  time,  Philip 
took  a  party  of  warriors  and  traversed  the  un- 
broken wilderness  extending  between  the  Con- 
necticut and  the  Hudson.  He  went  as  far  as 
the  present  site  of  Albany,  and  endeavored  to 
rouse  the  Mohawks,  a  powerful  tribe  in  that 
vicinity,  to  unite  with  him  against  the  English. 
It  is  said,  though  the  charge  is  not  sustained 
by  any  very  conclusive  evidence,  that  Philip, 
in  order  to  embroil  the  Mohawks  with  the  En- 
glish, attacked  a  party  of  Mohawk  warriors, 
and,  as  he  supposed,  killed  them  all.  He  then 


1G77.J     VICISSITUDES   OF  WAR.         333 

It  recoils.  Hostility  of  the  Mohawks.  Turn  of  the  tide. 

very  adroitly  arranged  matters  to  convince  the 
Mohawks  that  their  countrymen  had  been  mur- 
dered by  the  English.  But  one  of  the  Mo- 
hawks, who  was  supposed  to  be  killed,  revived, 
and,  covered  with  blood  and  wounds,  succeeded 
in  reaching  his  friends.  The  story  he  told 
roused  the  tribe  to  rage,  and,  allying  themselves 
with  the  English,  they  fell  fiercely  upon  Philip. 

Whether  the  above  narrative  be  true  or  not, 
it  is  certain  that  about  this  time  the  Mohawks 
became  irreconcilably  hostile  to  King  Philip, 
and  fell  upon  him  and  upon  all  of  his  allies 
with  great  fury. 

And  now  suddenly,  and  almost  miraculous- 
ly, the  tide  of  events  seemed  to  turn  in  favor 
of  the  English.  It  is  very  difficult  to  account 
for  the  wonderful  change  which  a  few  weeks  in- 
troduced. The  Massachusetts  Indians,  for  some 
unknown  cause,  became  alienated  from  the  sov- 
ereign of  the  Wampanoags,  and  bitterly  re- 
proached him  with  having  seduced  them  into  a 
war  in  which  they  were  suffering  even  more 
misery  than  they  created.  All  the  Indians  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  English  settlements  had  been 
driven  from  their  corn-fields  and  fishing-grounds, 
and  were  now  in  a  famishing  condition.  They 
had  sufficient  intelligence  to  foresee  that  abso- 


334  KING   PHILIP.  [1677. 

Dismay  of  the  Indians.  Extract  from  Cotton  Mather. 

lute  starvation  was  their  inevitable  doom  in  the 
approaching  winter.  At  the  sanie  time,  a  pes- 
tilence, deadly  and  contagious,  swept  fearful  des- 
olation through  their  wigwams.  The  Indians 
regarded  this  as  evidence  that  the  God  of  the 
white  men  had  enlisted  against  them.  The  co- 
lonial forces  in  the  valley  of  the  Connecticut 
penetrated  the  forest  in  every  direction,  carry- 
ing utter  ruin  into  the  homes  of  the  natives.  In 
this  horrible  warfare  but  little  mercy  was  shown 
to  the  women  and  the  children.  The  English 
did  not  torture  their  foes,  but  they  generally 
massacred  them  without  mercy. 

This  sudden  accumulation  of  disasters  ap- 
palled Philip  and  all  his  partisans.  They  were 
thrown  into  a  very  surprising  state  of  confusion 
and  dismay.  Cotton  Mather,  speaking  of  this 
constant  terror  which  bewildered  them,  writes: 

"They  were  just  like  beasts  stung  with  a 
hornet.  They  ran  they  knew  not  whither,  they 
knew  not  wherefore.  They  were  under  such 
consternation  that  the  English  did  even  what 
they  would  upon  them.  I  shall  never  forget 
the  expressions  which  a  desperate,  fighting  sort 
of  fellow,  one  of  their  generals,  used  unto  the 
English  after  they  had  captured  him.  *  You 
could  not  have  subdued  us.'  said  he,  striking 


1677.]     VICISSITUDES   OF    WAR.         335 

Search  for  King  Philip.  An  interview  with  the  Indians. 

upon  his  breast,  'but  the  Englishman's  God 
made  us  afraid  here.' " 

The  latter  part  of  July,  Captain  Church,  the 
General  Putnam  of  these  Indian  wars,  was 
placed  in  command  of  a  force  to  search  for  Phil- 
ip, who,  with  a  small  band  of  faithful  followers, 
had  returned  to  the  region  of  Mount  Hope. 
Captain  Church  went  from  Plymouth  to  Wood's 
Hole  in  Falmouth,  and  there  engaged  two  friend- 
ly Indians  to  paddle  him  in  a  canoe  across  Buz- 
zard's Bay,  and  along  the  shore  to  Rhode  Isl- 
and. As  he  was  rounding  the  neck  of  land 
called  Saconet  Point,  he  saw  a  number  of  In- 
dians fishing  from  the  rocks.  Believing  that 
these  Indians  were  in  heart  attached  to  the  En- 
glish, and  that  they  had  been  forced  to  unite 
with  Philip,  he  resolved  to  make  efforts  to  de- 
tach them  from  the  confederacy.  The  Indians 
on  the  shore  seemed  also  to  seek  an  interview, 
and  by  signs  invited  them  to  land.  Captain 
Church,  who  was  as  prudent  as  he  was  intrep- 
id, called  to  two  of  the  Indians  to  go  down 
upon  a  point  of  cleared  land  where  there  was 
no  room  for  an  ambush.  He  then  landed,  and, 
leaving  one  of  the  Indians  to  take  care  of  the 
canoe,  and  the  other  to  act  as  a  sentinel,  ad- 
vanced to  meet  the  Indians.  One  of  the  two 


336  KING   PHILIP.  [1677. 

The  Indians  desire  peace.  Intervu-w  with  the  governor 

Indians,  who  was  named  George,  could  speak 
English  perfectly  well.  He  told  Captain  Church 
that  his  tribe  was  weary  of  the  war  ;  that  they 
were  in  a  state  of  great  suffering,  and  that  they 
were  very  anxious  to  return  to  a  state  of  friend- 
ly alliance  with  the  English.  He  said  that  if 
the  past  could  be  pardoned,  his  tribe  was  ready 
not  only  to  relinquish  all  acts  of  hostility,  but 
to  take  up  arms  against  King  Philip.  Captain 
Church  promised  to  meet  them  again  in  two 
days  at  Richmond's  Farm,  upon  this  long  neck 
of  land.  He  then  hastened  to  Rhode  Island, 
procured  an  interview  with  the  governor,  and 
endeavored  to  obtain  authority  to  enter  into  a 
treaty  with  these  Indians.  The  governor  would 
not  give  his  consent,  affirming  that  it  was  an 
act  of  madness  in  Captain  Church  to  trust  him 
self  among  the  Saconets.  Nevertheless,  Church, 
true  to  his  engagement,  took  with  him  an  inter- 
preter, and,  embarking  in  a  canoe,  reached  the 
spot  at  the  appointed  time. 

Here  he  found  Awashonks,  the  queen  of  the 
tribe,  with  several  of  her  followers.  As  his 
canoe  touched  the  shore,  she  advanced  to  meet 
him,  and,  with  a  smile  of  apparent  friendliness, 
extended  her  hand.  They  walked  together  a 
short  distance  from  the  shore,  when  suddenly  a 


1677.]     VICISSITUDES   OF  WAR.        337 

Captain  (Jhurch  visits  Awashonks.  A  perilous  interview. 

large  party  of  Indians,  painted  and  decorated  in 
warlike  array,  and  armed  to  the  teeth,  sprang 
up  from  an  ambush  in  the  high  grass,  and  sur- 
rounded them.  Church,  undismayed,  turned  to 
Awashonks,  and  said,  indignantly, 

"  I  supposed  that  your  object  in  inviting  me 
to  this  interview  was  peace." 

"And  so  it  is,"  Awashonks  replied. 

"Why,  then,"  Captain  Church  continued, 
"are  your  warriors  here  with  arms  in  their 
hands?" 

Awashonks  appeared  embarrassed,  and  re- 
plied, 

"What  weapons  do  you  wish  them  to  lay 
aside?" 

The  Indian  warriors  scowled  angrily,  and 
deep  mutterings  were  passing  among  them. 
Captain  Church,  seeing  his  helpless  situation, 
rery  prudently  replied,  "  I  only  wish  them  to 
lay  aside  their  guns,  which  is  a  proper  formali- 
ty when  friends  meet  to  treat  for  peace." 

Hearing  this,  the  Indians  laid  aside  their 
guns,  and  quietly  seated  themselves  around 
their  queen  and  Captain  Church.  An  interest- 
ing and  perilous  interview  now  ensued.  Awa- 
shonks accused  the  English  of  provoking  her  to 
hostilities  when  she  had  wished  to  live  in  friend- 
2—22 


338  KING  PHILIP.  [1677. 

Rage  of  a  warrior.  Proposals  for  an  alliance. 

ship  with  them.  At  one  moment  these  children 
of  nature  would  seem  to  be  in  a  towering  rage, 
and  again  perfectly  pleasant,  and  almost  affec- 
tionate. Captain  Church  happened  to  allude  to 
one  of  the  battles  between  the  English  and  the 
Indians.  Immediately  one  of  the  savages,  foam- 
ing with  rage,  sprang  toward  him,  brandishing 
his  tomahawk,  and  threatening  to  sink  it  in  his 
brain,  declaring  that  Captain  Church  had  slain 
his  brother  in  that  battle.  Captain  Church  re- 
plied that  his  brother  was  the  aggressor,  and  that, 
if  he  had  remained  at  home,  as  Captain  Church 
had  advised  him  to  do,  his  life  would  have  been 
spared.  At  this  the  irate  savage  immediately 
calmed  down,  and  all  was  peace  again. 

As  the  result  of  the  interview,  Awashonks 
promised  to  ally  herself  in  friendship  with  the 
English  upon  condition  that  Church  should  ob- 
tain the  pardon  of  her  tribe  for  all  past  offenses. 
The  chief  captain  of  her  warriors  then  approach- 
ed Captain  Church  with  great  stateliness,  and 
said,  "  Sir,  if  you  will  please  to  accept  of  me 
and  my  men,  and  will  be  our  captain,  we  will 
fight  for  you,  and  will  help  you  to  the  head  of 
King  Philip  before  the  Indian  corn  be  ripe." 
At  this  all  the  other  warriors  clashed  their 
weapons  and  murmured  applause. 


1677.]    VICISSITUDES   OF  WAR.         339 

Embassadors  to  the  governor.  The  journey  interrupted. 

Church  then  proposed  that  five  Indians 
should  accompany  him  through  the  woods  to 
the  governor  to  secure  the  ratification  of  the 
treaty.  Awashonks  objected  to  this,  saying 
that  the  party  would  inevitably  be  intercepted 
on  the  way  by  Philip's  warriors,  and  all  would 
be  slain.  She  proposed,  however,  that  Captain 
Church  should  go  to  Rhode  Island,  obtain  a 
small  vessel,  and  then  take  her  embassadors 
around  Cape  Cod  to  Plymouth. 

Captain  Church  obtained  a  small  vessel  in 
Newport  Harbor,  and  sailed  for  the  point. 
When  he  arrived  there  the  wind  was  directly 
ahead,  and  blowing  almost  a  gale.  As  the 
storm  increased,  finding  himself  quite  unable  to 
land,  he  returned  to  Newport.  Being  a  man  of 
deep  religious  sensibilities,  he  considered  this 
disappointment  as  an  indication  of  divine  dis- 
approval, and  immediately  relinquished  the  en- 
terprise. 

Just  at  this  time  Major  Bradford  arrived  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  present  town  of  Fall  River 
with  a  large  force  of  soldiers.  This  region  was 
then  called  Pocasset,  and  was  within  the  terri- 
tory of  Queen  Wetamoo.  Captain  Church  im- 
mediately then  took  a  canoe,  and  again  visited 
Awashonks.  He  informed  her  of  the  arrival 


340  KING   PHILIP.  [1677. 

Awashonks  visits  Major  Bradford.  Proposals  for  a:i  aliianc  •. 

of  Major  Bradford,  urged  her  to  keep  all  her 
people  at  home  lest  they  should  be  assailed  by 
these  troops,  and  assured  her  that  if  she  would 
visit  Major  Bradford  in  his  encampment  she 
should  be  received  with  kindness,  and  a  treaty 
of  peace  would  be  concluded.  The  next  morn- 
ing, Major  Bradford,  with  his  whole  force,  march- 
ed down  the  Tiverton  shore,  and  encamped  at  a 
place  called  Punkatese,  half  way  between  Po- 
casset  and  Saconet  Point. 

Awashonks  collected  her  wrarriors  and  repair- 
ed to  Punkatese  to  meet  the  English.  Major 
Bradford  received  her  with  severity  and  suspi- 
cion, which  appears  to  have  been  quite  unjusti- 
fiable. Awashonks  offered  to  surrender  her 
warriors  to  his  service  if  they  could  be  under 
the  command  of  Captain  Church,  in  whom  both 
she  and  they  reposed  perfect  confidence.  This 
offer  was  peremptorily  declined,  and  she  was 
haughtily  commanded  to  appear  at  Sandwich, 
where  the  governor  resided,  within  six  days. 
The  queen,  mortified  by  this  unfriendly  recep- 
tion, appealed  to  Captain  Church.  He,  also, 
was  much  chagrined,  but  advised  her  to  obey, 
assuring  her  that  the  governor  would  cordially 
assent  to  her  views.  The  Indians,  somewhat 
reassured,  now  commenced  their  march  to 


1677.]     VICISSITUDES   OF   WAE.         341 

Search  for  Philip.  Cordial  reception.  Indian  festivities. 

Sandwich,  under  the  protection  of  a  flag  of 
truce. 

The  next  morning  Major  Bradford  embarked 
his  army  in  canoes,  and  crossed  to  Mount  Hope 
in  search  of  King  Philip.  It  was  late  at  night 
before  they  reached  the  Mount,  and  the  fires 
blazing  in  the  woods  showed  that  the  Indians 
were  collecting  in  large  numbers.  Meeting, 
however,  with  no  foe,  they  marched  on  to  Re- 
hoboth.  Here  Captain  Church,  taking  an  In- 
dian for  a  guide,  set  out  for  Plymouth  to  inter- 
cede for  his  friends,  the  Saconet  Indians.  The 
governor  received  him  with  great  cordiality. 
Captain  Church,  highly  gratified,  took  with  him 
three  or  four  men  as  a  body-guard,  and  hasten- 
ed to  Sandwich.  Disappointed  in  not  finding 
Awashonks  there,  he  went  to  Agawam,  in  the 
present  town  of  Wareham  ;  still  not  finding 
her,  he  crossed  Mattapoiset  River,  and  ascended 
a  bluff  which  commanded  a  wide  prospect  of 
Buzzard's  Bay. 

As  they  stood  upon  the  bluff,  they  heard  a 
loud  murmuring  noise  coming  from  the  con- 
cealed shore  at  a  little  distance.  Creeping  cau- 
tiously along,  they  peered  over  a  low  cliff,  and 
saw  a  large  number  of  Indians,  of  all  ages  and 
sexes,  engaged  upon  the  beach  in  the  wildest 


342  KING  PHILIP.  [1677. 

Sagacious  care.  Captain  Church  to  visit  the  queen 

scene  of  barbarian  festivities.  Some  were  run- 
ning races  on  horseback  ;  some  playing  at  foot- 
ball ;  some  were  catching  eels  and  flat-fish ; 
and  others  plunging  and  frolicking  in  the  waves. 

Captain  Church  was  uncertain  whether  they 
were  enemies  or  friends.  With  characteristic 
sagacity  and  intrepidity,  he  retired  some  dis- 
tance into  a  thicket,  and  then  hallooed  to  them. 
Two  young  Indians,  hearing  the  shout,  left  the 
rest  of  their  company  to  see  from  whence  it 
came.  They  came  close  upon  Captain  Church 
before  he  discovered  himself  to  them.  As  soon 
as  they  saw  Captain  Church,  with  two  or  three 
men  around  him,  all  well  armed,  they,  in  a  pan- 
ic, endeavored  to  retreat.  He  succeeded,  how- 
ever, in  retaining  them,  and  in  disarming  their 
fears. 

From  them  he  learned  that  the  party  consist- 
ed of  Awashonks  and  her  tribe.  He  then  sent 
word  to  Awashonks  that  he  intended  to  sup  with 
her  that  evening,  and  to  lodge  in  her  camp  that 
night.  The  queen  immediately  made  prepara- 
tions to  receive  him  and  his  companions  with 
all  due  respect.  Captain  Church  and  his  men, 
mounted  on  horseback,  rode  down  to  the  beach. 
The  Indians  gathered  around  them  with  shouts 
of  welcome.  They  were  conducted  to  a  pleas- 


1677.]    VICISSITUDES   OP  WAE.         343 

A  luxurious  supper.  Bill  of  fare.  A  huge  bonfire. 

ant  tent,  open  toward  the  sea,  and  were  pro- 
vided with  a  luxurious  supper  of  fried  fish. 
The  supper  consisted  of  three  courses  :  a  young 
bass  in  one  dish,  eels  and  flat-fish  in  a  second, 
and  shell-fish  in  a  third  ;  but  there  was  neither 
bread  nor  salt. 

By  the  time  supper  was  over  it  was  night, 
serene  and  moonless,  yet  brilliant  with  stars. 
The  still  waters  of  Buzzard's  Bay  lay  like  a 
burnished  mirror,  reflecting  the  sparkling  canopy 
above  in  a  corresponding  arch  below.  The  un- 
broken forest  frowned  along  the  shore,  sublime 
in  its  solitude,  and  from  its  depths  could  only 
be  heard  the  lonely  cry  of  the  birds  of  dark- 
ness. 

The  Indians  collected  an  enormous  pile  of 
pine  knots  and  the  resinous  boughs  of  the  fir- 
tree.  Men,  women,  and  children  all  contrib- 
uted to  enlarge  the  gigantic  heap,  and  when  the 
torch  was  touched,  a  bonfire  of  amazing  splen- 
dor blazed  far  and  wide  over  the  forest  and  the 
bay.  This  was  the  introcjuctory  act  to  a  dra- 
ma where  peace  and  war  were  blended.  All 
the  Indians,  old  and  young,  gathered  around 
the  fire.  Queen  Awashonks,  with  the  oldest 
men  and  women  of  the  tribe,  kneeling  down  in 
a  circle,  formed  the  first  ring ;  next  behind 


344  KING  PHILIP.  [1677. 

Lillian  dance.  Oath  of  fidelity.  Selection  of  waTiors. 

them  came  all  the  most  distinguished  warriors, 
armed  and  arrayed  in  all  the  gorgeous  panoply 
of  barbarian  warfare  ;  then  came  a  motley  mul- 
titude of  the  common  mass  of  men,  women, 
and  children. 

At  an  appointed  signal,  Awashonks'  chief 
captain  stepped  forward  from  the  circle,  danced 
with  frantic  gesture  around  the  fire,  drew  a 
brand  from  the  flames,  and,  calling  it  by  the 
name  of  a  tribe  hostile  to  the  English,  belabor- 
ed it  with  bludgeon  and  tomahawk.  He  then 
drew  out  another  and  another,  until  all  the  tribes 
hostile  to  the  English  had  been  named,  assail- 
ed, and  exterminated.  Reeking  with  perspira- 
tion, and  exhausted  by  his  phrensied  efforts,  he 
retired  within  the  ring.  Another  chief  then 
came  out  and  re-enacted  the  same  scene,  en- 
deavoring to  surpass  his  predecessor  in  the 
fierceness  and  fury  of  his  efforts.  In  this  way 
all  the  chiefs  took  what  they  considered  as  their 
oath  of  fidelity  to  the  English.  The  chief  cap- 
tain then  came  forward  to  Captain  Church,  and, 
presenting  him  with  a  fine  musket,  informed 
him  that  all  the  warriors  were  henceforth  sub- 
ject to  his  command.  Captain  Church  imme- 
diately drew  out  a  number  of  the  ablest  war- 
riors, and  the  next  morning,  before  the  break  of 


1677.]     VICISSITUDES   OF  WAR.         345 

Grief  of  Philip.  Undying  resolution.  Capture  of  Indian?. 

day,  set  out  with  them  for  Plymouth,  where  lie 
arrived  in  the  afternoon. 

It  is  said  that  when  King  Philip,  in  the 
midst  of  his  accumulating  disasters,  learned  that 
the  Saconet  tribe  had  abandoned  his  cause  and 
had  gone  over  to  the  English,  he  was  never 
known  to  smile  again.  He  knew  that  his  doom 
was  now  sealed,  and  that  nothing  remained  for 
him  but  to  be  hunted  as  a  wild  beast  of  the  for- 
est for  the  remainder  of  his  days.  Though  a 
few  tribes  still  adhered  to  him,  he  was  well 
aware  that  in  these  hours  of  disaster  he  would 
soon  be  abandoned  by  all.  Proudly,  however, 
the  heroic  chieftain  disdained  all  thoughts  of 
surrender,  and  resolved  to  contend  with  undy- 
ing determination  to  the  last.  We  can  not  but 
respect  his  energy  and  deplore  his  fate. 

Receiving  a  commission  from  the  governor, 
Captain  Church  that  same  evening  took  the 
field,  with  a  company  of  eighteen  Englishmen 
and  twenty-two  Indians.  They  saw  gleaming 
in  the  distant  forest  the  camp-fires  of  the  In- 
dians. Creeping  stealthily  along,  they  sur- 
rounded a  small  band  of  savages,  took  them  by 
surprise,  and  captured  every  one.  From  one 
of  his  prisoners  he  learned  there  was  another 
party  at  Monponset  Pond.  Carrying  his  pris- 


346  KING  PHILIP.  [1677. 

Continued  success.  Approach  of  Philip's  army. 

oners  back  to  Plymouth,  he  set  out  again  the 
next  night,  and  was  equally  successful  in  cap- 
turing every  one  of  this  second  band.  Thus 
for  some  days  he  continued  very  successfully 
harassing  the  Indians  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Mid- 
dleborough  Ponds.  From  one  of  his  prisoners 
he  ascertained  that  both  Philip  and  Quinnapin, 
the  husband  of  Wetamoo,  were  in  the  great  ce- 
dar "swamp,  which  was  full  of  Indian  warriors, 
and  that  a  hundred  Indians  had  gone  on  a  foray 
down  into  Sconticut  Neck,  now  Fair  Haven. 

The  mem  body  of  the  Plymouth  forces  was 
at  Taunton.  Philip  did  not  dare  attempt  the 
passage  of  the  Taunton  River,  as  it  was  care- 
fully watched.  He  was  thus  hemmed  in  be- 
tween the  river  and  the  sea.  Church,  with 
amazing  energy  and  skill,  drove  his  feeble  bands 
from  point  to  point,  allowing  them  not  one  mo- 
ment of  rest.  One  Sabbath  morning  a  courier 
was  sent  to  the  governor  of  the  Plymouth  col- 
ony, who  happened  to  be  at  Marshfield,  inform- 
ing him  that  Philip,  with  a  large  army,  was  ad- 
vancing, with  the  apparent  intention  of  crossing 
the  river  in  the  vicinity  of  Bridge  water,  and  at- 
tacking that  town.  The  governor  immediately 
hastened  to  Plymouth,  sent  for  Captain  Church, 
who  was  in  the  meeting-house  attending  public 


1677.J     VICISSITUDES   OF   WAR.         347 

preparations  for  bis  reception.         He  is  received  by  Bridgewater  lads. 

worship,  and  requested  him  to  rally  all  the 
force  in  his  power,  and  march  to  attack  the  In- 
dians. Captain  Church  immediately  called  his 
company  together,  and,  running  from  house  to 
house,  collected  every  loaf  of  bread  in  town  for 
the  supply  of  his  troops. 

Early  in  the  afternoon  he  commenced  his 
march,  and  early  in  the  evening  arrived  at  Bridge- 
water.  As  they  were  advancing  in  the  dark- 
ness, they  heard  a  sharp  firing  in  the  distance. 
It  afterward  appeared  that  Philip  had  felled  a 
tree  across  the  stream,  which  was  there  quite 
narrow,  as  a  bridge  for  his  men.  Some  ener- 
getic Bridgewater  lads  had  watched  the  move- 
ments of  the  Indians,  and  had  concealed  them- 
selves in  ambush  on  the  Bridgewater  side  of 
the  stream.  As  soon  as  the  Indians  com- 
menced passing  over  the  tree,  they  poured  in 
upon  them  a  volley  of  bullets.  Many  dropped 
from  the  slender  bridge,  dead  and  wounded,  into 
the  river.  The  rest  precipitately  retreated. 
This  was  on  the  evening  of  the  31st  of  July. 

Early  the  next  morning,  Captain  Church, 
having  greatly  increased  his  force  by  the  inhab- 
itants of  Bridgewater,  marched  cautiously  to  the 
spot  where  Philip  had  attempted  to  effect  a 
passage.  Accompanied  by  a  single  Indian,  he 


348  KING  PHILIP.  [1677. 

Narrow  escape  of  Philip.  His  wife  and  child  captured. 

crept  to  the  banks  of  the  stream  where  the  tree 
had  been.  He  saw  upon  the  opposite  side  an 
Indian  in  a  melancholy,  musing  posture,  sitting 
alone  upon  a  stump.  He  was  within  short 
musket  shot.  Church  clapped  his  gun  to  his 
shoulder,  and  was  just  upon  the  point  of  firing, 
when  the  Indian  who  accompanied  him  hastily 
called  out  for  him  not  to  fire,  for  he  believed  it 
was  one  of  their  own  men.  The  Indian  heard 
the  warning,  and,  startled,  looked  up.  Captain 
Church  instantly  saw  it  was  King  Philip  him- 
self. In  another  instant  the  report  of  a  gun 
was  heard,  and  a  bullet  whistled  through  the 
thin  air,  but  Philip,  with  the  speed  of  an  ante- 
lope, was  gone. 

Captain  Church  immediately  rallied  his  com- 
pany, crossed  the  river,  and  pursued  the  In- 
dians. The  savages  scattered  and  fled  in  all 
directions.  Church  and  his  men  picked  up  a 
large  number  of  women  and  children  flying  in 
dismay  through  the  woods.  Among  the  rest, 
he  captured  the  wife  of  Philip  and  their  only 
son,  a  bright  boy  nine  years  of  age.  Quinna- 
pin,  the  husband  of  Wetamoo,  with  a  large  band 
of  the  Indians,  retreated  down  the  eastern  bank 
of  the  river,  looking  anxiously  for  a  place  where 
they  might  ford  the  stream.  Captain  Church 


1677. J     VICISSITUDES  OF  WAR.         349 

The  Saconets  continue  the  pursuit.  Treachery  of  the  Indians. 

followed  upon  their  trail,  pursued  them  across 
the  stream,  and  continued  the  chase  until  he 
thought  it  necessary  to  return  and  secure  the 
prisoners. 

The  Saconet  Indians  begged  permission  to 
continue  the  pursuit.  They  returned  the  next 
morning,  having  shot  several  of  the  enemy,  and 
bringing  with  them  thirteen  women  and  chil- 
dren as  prisoners.  The  prisoners  were  all  sent 
to  Bridgewater,  while  bands  of  soldiers  scour- 
ed the  woods  in  all  directions  in  pursuit  of  the 
fugitives.  Every  now  and  then  the  shrill  re- 
port of  the  musket  told  that  the  bullet  was  ac- 
complishing its  deadly  work.  Another  night 
came.  It  was  dark  and  gloomy.  Some  of  the 
captives  informed  the  English  that  Philip,  with 
a  large  party  of  his  warriors,  had  sought  refuge 
in  a  swamp.  The  heroic  chief  had  heard  of  the 
capture  of  his  wife  and  son,  and  his  heart  was 
broken.  Dejected,  disheartened,  but  unyield- 
ing, he  still  resolved  to  bid  defiance  to  fate,  and 
to  contend  sternly  to  the  last.  The  Indian  cap- 
tives, with  their  accustomed  treachery,  guided 
the  English  to  all  the  avenues  of  the  swamp. 
Here  Captain  Church  placed  his  well-armed 
sentinels,  cutting  off  all  escape,  and  watching 
vigilantly  until  the  morning. 


350  KING  PHILIP.  [1677. 

The  reconnoitering  parties.  Description  by  Captain  Church. 

As  soon  as  it  was  light,  he  sent  two  scouts 
to  enter  the  swamp  cautiously,  and  ascertain 
the  position  of  the  enemy.  At  the  same  mo- 
ment Philip  sent  two  of  his  warriors  upon  a 
tour  of  reconnoissance.  The  two  opposite  par- 
ties met,  and  the  Indians,  with  loud  yells  to 
give  the  alarm,  fled  toward  their  camp.  Ter- 
rified with  the  apprehension  that  the  whole  En- 
glish force  was  upon  them,  the  Indians  plunged 
like  affrighted  deer  into  the  deeper  recesses  of 
the  swamp,  leaving  their  kettles  boiling  and 
their  meat  roasting  upon  their  wooden  spits. 
But  they  were  surrounded,  and  there  was  no 
escape.  The  following  scene,  described  by 
Captain  Church  himself,  gives  one  an  idea  of 
the  nature  of  this  warfare. 

"  In  this  swamp  skirmish,  Captain  Church, 
with  his  two  men,  who  always  ran  by  his  side 
as  his  guard,  met  with  three  of  the  enemy,  two 
of  whom  surrendered  themselves,  and  the  cap- 
tain's guard  seized  them  ;  but  the  other,  being 
a  great,  stout,  surly  fellow,  with  his  two  locks 
tied  up  with  red,  and  a  great  rattlesnake's  skin 
hanging  to  the  back  part  of  his  head,  ran  from 
them  into  the  swamp.  Captain  Church  in  per- 
son pursued  him  close,  till,  coming  pretty  near 
up  with  him,  he  presented  his  gun  between  his 


1677.]    VICISSITUDES  OF  WAR.        351 

Captain  Church's  adventures.  Capture  of  prisoners. 

shoulders,  but  it  missing  fire,  the  Indian  per- 
ceived it,  turned,  and  presented  at  Captain 
Church,  and  missing  fire  also,  their  guns  taking 
wet  from  the  fog  and  dew  of  the  morning.  But 
the  Indian  turning  short  for  another  run,  his 
foot  tripped  in  a  small  grape-vine,  and  he  fell 
flat  on  his  face.  Captain  Church  was  by  this 
time  up  with  him,  and  struck  the  muzzle  of  his 
gun  an  inch  and  a  half  into  the  back  part  of  his 
head,  which  dispatched  him  without  another 
blow. 

"  But  Captain  Church,  looking  behind  him, 
saw  another  Indian,  whom  he  thought  he  had 
killed,  come  flying  at  him  like  a  dragon.  But 
this  happened  to  be  fair  within  sight  of  the 
guard  that  was  set  to  keep  the  prisoners,  who, 
spying  this  Indian  and  others  who  were  follow- 
ing him  in  the  very  seasonable  juncture,  made 
a  shot  upon  them,  and  rescued  their  captain, 
though  he  was  in  no  small  danger  from  his 
friends'  bullets,  for  some  of  them  came  so  near 
him  that  he  thought  he  felt  the  wind  of  them. 
The  skirmish  being  over,  they  gathered  their 
prisoners  together,  and  found  the  number  they 
had  taken  to  be  one  hundred  and  seventy- 
three." 

With  these  prisoners  the  English  returned  to 


352  KING   PHILIP.  [1677. 

The  captives  make  merry  in  the  pound. 

Br/'dgewater.  Captain  Church  drove  the  cap- 
tives that  night  into  the  pound,  and  placed  an 
Indian  guard  over  them.  They  were  abun- 
dantly supplied  with  food  and  drink.  These 
poor  wretches  were  so  degraded,  and  so  regard- 
less of  their  fate,  that  they  passed  the  night  in 
hideous  revelry.  Philip  had  by  some  unknown 
means  escaped.  With  grief  and  shame  we  re- 
cord that  his  wife  and  son  were  sent  to  Bermu- 
da and  sold  as  slaves,  and  were  never  heard  of 
more.  One  of  the  Indian  captives  said  to  Cap- 
tain Church, 

"  Sir,  you  have  now  made  Philip  ready  to 
die.  You  have  rendered  him  as  poor  and  mis- 
erable as  he  used  to  make  the  English.  All 
his  relatives  are  now  either  killed  or  taken  cap- 
tive. You  will  soon  have  his  head.  This  last 
bout  has  broken  his  heart." 


1677.]   DEATH   OF  KING  PHILIP.       353 


Fallen  fortunes  of  Philip. 


CHAPTER   XL 
DEATH   OF  KING   PHILIP. 

THE  heroic  and  unfortunate  monarch  of  the 
Wampanoags  was  now  indeed  a  fugitive, 
and  almost  utterly  desolate.  A  few  of  the  more 
noble  of  the  Indians  still  adhered  faithfully  to 
the  fortunes  of  their  ruined  chieftain.  The  col- 
onists pursued  the  broken  bands  of  the  Indians 
with  indefatigable  energy.  A  small  party 
sought  refuge  at  a  place  called  Agawam,  in  the 
present  town  of  Wareham.  Captain  Church 
immediately  headed  an  expedition,  pursued 
them,  and  captured  the  whole  band.  A  noto- 
rious Indian  desperado  called  Sam  Barrow  was 
among  the  number.  He  was  a  bloodthirsty 
wretch,  who  had  rilled  the  colony  with  the  ter- 
ror of  his  name.  He  boasted  that  with  his  own 
hand  he  had  killed  nineteen  of  the  English. 
Captain  Church  informed  him  that,  in  conse- 
quence of  his  inhuman  murders,  the  court  could 
allow  him  no  quarter.  The  stoical  savage,  with 
perfect  indifference,  said  that  he  was  perfectly 
willing  to  die,  and  only  requested  the  privilege 
2—23 


354  KING  PHILIP.  [1677. 

Execution  of  Sam  Barrow.  Character  of  Wetamoo. 

of  smoking  a  pipe.  He  sat  down  upon  a  rock, 
while  his  Indian  executioner  stood  by  his  side 
with  his  gleaming  tomahawk  in  his  hand.  The 
savage  smoked  a  few  whiffs  of  tobacco,  laid 
aside  his  pipe,  and  calmly  said,  "  I  am  ready." 
In  another  instant  the  hatchet  of  the  executioner 
sank  deep  into  his  brain.  He  fell  dead  upon 
the  rock. 

On  the  6th  of  August  one  of  Philip's  Indians 
deserted  his  master  and  fled  to  Taunton.  To 
make  terms  for  himself,  he  offered  to  conduct 
the  English  to  a  spot  upon  the  river  where 
Wetamoo  had  secreted  herself  with  a  party  of 
Pocasset  warriors.  Twenty  of  the  inhabitants 
of  Taunton  armed  themselves  and  followed  their 
Indian  guide.  He  led  them  to  a  spot  now 
called  Gardiner's  Neck,  in  the  town  of  Swanzey. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  war,  Wetamoo, 
flushed  with  hope,  had  marched  to  the  conflict 
leading  three  hundred  warriors  in  her  train. 
She  was  now  hiding  in  thickets,  swamps,  and 
dens,  with  but  twenty-six  followers,  and  they 
dejected  and  despairing.  Next  to  King  Philip, 
Wetamoo  had  been  the  most  energetic  of  the 
foes  of  the  English.  She  was  inspired  with 
much  of  his  indomitable  courage,  and  was  never 
wanting  in  resources.  The  English  came  upon 


1677.J   DEATH  OF  KING  PHILIP.       355 

The  queen  drowned.  Deplorable  condition  of  Philip. 

them  by  surprise,  and  captured  every  one  but 
Wetamoo  herself.  The  heroic  queen,  too  proud 
to  be  captured,  instantly  threw  off  all  her  cloth- 
ing, seized  a  broken  piece  of  wood,  and  plunged 
into  the  stream.  Worn  down  by  exhaustion 
and  famine,  her  nerveless  arm  failed  her,  and 
she  sank  beneath  the  waves.  Her  body,  like 
a  bronze  statue  of  marvelous  symmetry,  was 
soon  after  found  washed  upon  the  shore.  As 
faithful  chroniclers,  we  must  declare,  though 
with  a  blush,  that  the  English  cut  off  her  head, 
and  set  it  upon  a  pole  in  their  streets,  a  trophy 
ghastly,  bloody,  revolting.  Many  of  her  sub- 
jects were  in  Taunton  as  captives.  When  they 
beheld  the  features  of  their  beloved  queen,  they  * 
filled  the  air  with  shrieks  of  lamentation. 

The  situation  of  Philip  was  now  indescriba- 
bly deplorable.  All  the  confederate  tribes  had 
abandoned  him  ;  the  most  faithful  of  his  follow- 
ers had  already  perished.  His  only  brother  was 
dead ;  his  wife  and  only  son  were  slaves  in  the 
hands  of  the  English,  doomed  to  unending 
bondage ;  every  other  relative  was  cold  in 
death.  The  few  followers  who  still,  for  their 
own  protection,  accompanied  him  in  his  flight, 
were  seeking  in  dismay  to  save  their  own  lives. 
His  domain,  which  once  spread  over  wide 


356  KING  PHILIP.  [1677. 

Induiiiitiil)!.'  resolution.  Summary  punishment 

leagues  of  mountain  and  forest,  was  now  con- 
tracted to  the  dark  recesses  and  dismal  swamps 
where,  as  a  hunted  beast,  lie  sought  his  lair. 
There  was  no  place  of  retreat  for  him.  All  the 
Connecticut  Indians  had  become  his  bitter  foes, 
because  he  had  embroiled  them  in  a  war  which 
had  secured  their  ruin.  The  Mohawks,  upon 
the  Hudson,  were  thirsting  for  his  blood. 

Still,  this  indomitable  man  would  not  think 
of  yielding.  He  determined,  with  a  resolution 
which  seemed  never  to  give  way,  to  fight  till  a 
bullet  from  the  foe  should  pierce  his  brain.  In 
this  hour  of  utter  hopelessness,  one  of  Philip's 
warriors  ventured  to  urge  him  to  surrender  to 
the  English.  The  haughty  monarch  immedi- 
ately put  the  man  to  death  as  a  punishment  for 
his  temerity  and  as  a  warning  to  others.  The 
brother  of  this  Indian,  indignant  at  such  sever- 
ity, deserted  to  the  English,  and  offered  to  guide 
them  to  the  swamp  where  Philip  was  secreted. 
The  ruined  monarch  had  returned  to  the  home 
of  his  childhood  to  fight  his  last  battles  and  to 
die. 

Captain  Church  happened  to  be  at  this  time, 
with  a  party  of  volunteers,  at  Rhode  Island, 
having  crossed  over  by  the  ferry  from  Tiver- 
ton.  Here  he  met  the  Indian  traitor.  "Ho 


1677.]   DEATH   OF   KING   PHILIP.       357 

Disposition  of  the  army.  Confident  of  the  capture  of  Philip. 

was  a  fellow  of  good  sense,"  says  Captain 
Church,  "  and  told  his  story  handsomely."  He 
reported  that  Philip  was  upon  a  little  spot  of 
upland  in  the  midst  of  a  miry  swamp  just  south 
of  Mount  Hope.  It  was  now  evening.  Half 
of  the  night  was  spent  in  crossing  the  water  in 
canoes.  At  midnight  Captain  Church  brought 
all  his  company  together,  and  gave  minute  di- 
rections respecting  their  movements.  They 
surrounded  the  swamp.  With  the  earliest 
light  of  the  morning  they  were  ordered  to  creep 
cautiously  upon  their  hands  and  feet  until  they 
came  in  sight  of  their  foes.  As  soon  as  any 
one  discovered  Philip  or  any  of  his  men,  he  was 
to  fire,  and  immediately  all  were  to  rise  and 
join  in  the  pursuit.  To  make  sure  of  his  vic- 
tim, Captain  Church  also  formed  a  second  circle 
surrounding  the  swamp,  placing  an  Englishman 
and  an  Indian  behind  trees,  rocks,  etc.,  so  that 
no  one  could  pass  between  them.  He  also  sta- 
tioned small  parties  in  selected  places  in  am- 
buscade. 

Having  completed  all  his  arrangements,  he 
took  his  friend  Major  Sandford  by  the  hand, 
and  said, 

"I  have  now  so  posted  my  men  that  I  think 
it  impossible  that  Philip  should  escape  us." 


358  KING   PHILIP.  [1677. 

The  carnage  commenced.  Rushing  into  danger. 

He  had  hardly  uttered  these  words  ere  the 
report  of  a  musket  was  heard  in  the  swamp, 
and  this  was  instantaneously  followed  by  a 
whole  volley.  Some  of  the  Indians  had  been 
discovered,  and  the  murderous  work  was  com- 
menced. The  morning  had  as  yet  but  just 
dawned.  An  awful  scene  of  dismay,  tumult, 
and  blood  ensued.  Philip,  exhausted  by  days 
and  nights  of  the  most  harassing  flight  and 
fighting,  had  been  found  soundly  asleep.  The 
few  warriors  still  faithful  to  him,  equally  ex- 
hausted, were  dozing  at  his  side.  A  party  of 
the  English  crept  cautiously  within  musket 
shot  of  their  sleeping  foes,  discharged  a  volley 
of  bullets  upon  them,  and  then  rushed  into  their 
encampment. 

The  dreams  of  the  despairing  fugitive  were 
disturbed  by  the  crash  of  musketry,  the  whis- 
tling of  bullets,  and  the  shout  and  the  onset  of 
his  foes.  He  leaped  from  his  couch  of  leaves, 
and,  like  a  deer,  bounded  from  hummock  to 
hummock  in  the  swamp.  It  so  happened  that 
he  ran  directly  upon  an  ambush  which  Captain 
Church  had  warily  established.  An  English- 
man and  the  Indian  deserter,  whose  name  was 
Alderman,  stood  behind  a  large  tree,  with  their 
guns  cocked  and  primed.  As  Philip,  bewilder- 


1C77.J   DEATH   OF  KING  PHILIP.      361 

Death  of  Philip.          Delight  of  Alderman.          Reception  of  the  news. 

ed  and  unconscious  of  his  peril,  drew  near,  the 
Englishman  took  deliberate  aim  at  him  when 
he  was  but  at  the  distance  of  a  few  yards,  and 
sprung  his  lock.  The  night  dews  of  the  swamp 
had  moistened  the  powder,  and  his  gun  missed 
fire.  The  life  of  Philip  was  thus  prolonged  for 
one  half  of  a  minute.  The  traitor  Alderman 
then  eagerly  directed  his  gun  against  the  chief 
to  whom  but  a  few  hours  before  he  had  been  in 
subjection.  A  sharp  report  rang  through  the 
forest,  and  two  bullets,  for  the  gun  was  double 
charged,  passed  almost  directly  through  the 
heart  of  the  heroic  warrior.  For  an  instant  the 
majestic  frame  of  the  chieftain,  as  he  stood 
erect,  quivered  from  the  shock,  and  then  he  fell 
heavy  and  stone  dead  in  the  mud  and  water  of 
the  swamp. 

Alderman,  delighted  with  his  exploit,  ran  eag- 
erly to  inform  Captain  Church  that  he  had  shot 
King  Philip.  Church  ordered  him  to  be  per- 
fectly silent  about  it,  that  his  men  might  more 
vigorously  pursue  the  remaining  warriors.  For 
some  time  the  pursuit  and  the  carnage  contin- 
ued. Captain  Church  then,  by  a  concerted  sig- 
nal, called  his  army  together,  and  informed  them 
of  the  death  of  their  formidable  foe.  The  ti- 
dings were  received  with  a  simultaneous  shout 


362  KING  PHILIP.  [1677. 

Ignoble  treatment  of  the  body.  An  Indian  executioner. 

of  exultation,  which,  repeated  again  and  again, 
reverberated  through  the  solitudes  of  the  for- 
ests. The  whole  army  then  advanced  to  the 
spot  where  the  sovereign  of  the  Wampanoags 
lay  gory  in  death.  They  had  but  little  rever- 
ence for  an  Indian,  and,  seizing  the  body,  they 
dragged  it,  as  if  it  had  been  the  carcass  of  a 
wild  beast,  through  the  mud  to  an  upland  slope, 
where  the  ground  was  dry.  Here,  for  a  time, 
they  gazed  with  exultation  upon  the  great  tro- 
phy of  their  victory,  and  spurned  the  dishonored 
body  as  if  it  had  been  a  wolf  or  a  panther  which 
had  been  destroying  their  families  and  their 
flocks.  Captain  Church  then  said, 

"  Forasmuch  as  he  has  caused  many  an  En- 
glishman's body  to  lie  unburied  and  to  rot 
above  the  ground,  not  one  of  his  bones  shall  be 
buried." 

An  old  Indian  executioner,  a  vulgar,  blood- 
thirsty wretch,  was  then  called  to  cut  up  the 
body.  With  bitter  taunts  he  stood  over  him 
with  his  hatchet,  and  cut  off  his  head  and  quar- 
tered him.  Philip  had  one  remarkable  hand, 
which  was  much  scarred  by  the  explosion  of  a 
pistol.  This  hand  was  given  to  Alderman,  who 
shot  him,  as  his  share  of  the  spoil.  Alderman 
preserved  it  in  rum,  and  carried  it  around  the 


1677.]  DEATH   OF   KING  PHILIP.       363 

Noble  character  «f  Philip.  His  reluctance  to  commence  war. 

country  as  a  show,  "and  accordingly,"  says 
Captain  Church,  "  he  got  many  a  penny  by  it." 
We  would  gladly  doubt  the  statement,  if  we 
could,  that  the  head  of  this  ill-fated  chief  was 
sent  to  Plymouth,  where  it  was  for  a  long  time 
exposed  on  a  gibbet.  The  four  quarters  of  the 
mangled  body  were  hung  upon  four  trees,  and 
there  they  remained  swinging  in  the  moaning 
wind  until  the  elements  wasted  them  away. 

Thus  fell  Pometacom,  perhaps  the  most  illus- 
trious savage  upon  the  North  American  conti- 
nent. The  interposition  of  Providence  alone 
seems  to  have  prevented  him  from  exterminat- 
ing the  whole  English  race  upon  this  continent. 
Though  his  character  has  been  described  only 
by  those  who  were  exasperated  against  him  to 
the  very  highest  degree,  still  it  is  evident  that 
he  possessed  many  of  the  noblest  qualities 
which  can  embellish  human  nature. 

It  is  said  that  with  reluctance  and  anguish 
he  entered  upon  the  war,  and  that  he  shed  tears 
when  the  first  English  blood  was  shed.  His 
extraordinary  kindness  to  the  Leonards,  induc- 
ing him  to  avert  calamities  from  a  whole  settle- 
ment, lest  they,  by  some  accident,  might  be  in- 
jured, develops  magnanimity  which  is  seldom 
paralleled.  He  was  a  man  of  first-rate  abilities. 


364  KING  PHILIP.  [107? 

His  foresight.  His  humanity.  His  mode  of  warfare. 

He  foresaw  clearly  that  the  growth  of  the  En- 
glish power  threatened  the  utter  extermination 
of  his  race.  War  thus,  in  his  view,  became  a 
dire  necessity.  No  man  could  be  more  con- 
scious of  its  fearful  peril.  With  sagacity  which 
might  excite  the  envy  of  the  ablest  of  European 
diplomatists,  he  bound  together  various  hetero- 
geneous and  hostile  tribes,  and  guided  all  their 
energies.  Though  the  generality  of  the  In- 
dians were  often  inhuman  in  the  extreme,  there 
is  no  evidence  that  Philip  ever  ordered  a  cap- 
tive to  be  tortured,  while  it  is  undeniable  that 
the  English,  in  several  instances,  surrendered 
their  captives  to  the  horrid  barbarities  of  their 
savage  allies. 

"  His  mode  of  making  war,"  says  Francis 
Baylies,  "was  secret  and  terrible.  He  seemed 
like  the  demon  of  destruction  hurling  his  bolts 
in  darkness.  With  cautious  and  noiseless  steps, 
and  shrouded  by  the  deep  shade  of  midnight, 
he  glided  from  the  gloomy  depths  of  the  woods. 
He  stole  on  the  villages  and  settlements  of  New 
England,  like  the  pestilence,  unseen  and  un- 
heard. His  dreadful  agency  was  felt  when  the 
yells  of  his  followers  roused  his  victims  from 
their  slumbers,  and  when  the  flames  of  their 
blazing  habitations  glared  upon  their  eyes. 


1677.J  DEATH   OP   KING   PHILIP.       365 

Lio  justice  to  his  memory.  Feelings  for  him  in  367T. 

His  pathway  could  be  traced  by  the  horrible 
desolation  of  its  progress,  by  its  crimson  print 
upon  the  snows  and  the  sands,  by  smoke  and 
fire,  by  houses  in  ruins,  by  the  shrieks  of  wom- 
en, the  wailing  of  infants,  and  the  groans  of  the 
wounded  and  the  dying.  Well  indeed  might 
lie  have  been  called  the  'terror  of  New  En- 
gland.' Yet  in  no  instance  did  he  transcend 
the  ordinary  usages  of  Indian  warfare. 

"We  now  sit  in  his  seats  and  occupy  his 
lands  ;  the  lands  which  afforded  a  bare  subsist- 
ence to  a  few  wandering  savages  can  now  sup- 
port countless  thousands  of  civilized  people. 
The  aggregate  of  the  happiness  of  man  is  in- 
creased, and  the  designs  of  Providence  are  ful- 
filled when  this  fair  domain  is  held  by  those 
who  know  its  use ;  surely  we  may  be  permitted 
at  this  day  to  lament  the  fate  of  him  who  was 
once  the  lord  of  our  woods  and  our  streams, 
and  who,  if  he  wrought  much  mischief  to  our 
forefathers,  loved  some  of  our  race,  and  Avept 
for  their  misfortunes ! " 

There  was,  however,  but  little  sympathy  felt 
in  that  day  for  Philip  or  any  of  his  confederates. 
The  truly  learned  and  pious  but  pedantic  Cot- 
fun  Mather,  allowing  his  spirit  to  be  envenomed 
by  the  horrid  atrocities  of  Indian  warfare,  thus 
"jeorrls  the  tragic  end  of  Pometacom : 


366  KING  PHILIP.  [1677. 

Cotton  Mather's  record.  "In  his  fate,  forget  his  crimes." 

"  The  Englishman's  piece  would  not  go  off, 
but  the  Indians  presently  shot  him  through  his 
venomous  and  murderous  heart.  And  in  that 
very  place  where  he  first  contrived  and  com- 
menced his  mischief,  this  Agag  was  now  cut  in 
quarters,  which  were  then  hanged  up,  while  his 
head  was  carried  in  triumph  to  Plymouth,  where 
it  arrived  on  the  very  day  that  the  church  was 
keeping  a  solemn  thanksgiving  to  God.  God 
sent  them  in  the  head  of  a  Leviathan  for  a 
thanksgiving  feast." 

We  must  remember  that  the  Indians  have 
no  chroniclers  of  their  wrongs,  and  yet  the  co- 
lonial historians  furnish  us  with  abundant  inci- 
dental evidence  that  outrages  were  perpetrated 
by  individuals  of  the  colonists  which  were  suf- 
ficient to  drive  any  people  mad.  No  one  can 
now  contemplate  the  doom  of  Pometacom,  the 
last  of  an  illustrious  line,  but  with  emotions  of 
sadness. 

"  Even  that  he  lived  i.=  for  his  conqueror's  tongue  ; 
By  foes  alone  his  cU  ^.th-song  must  be  sung. 
No  chronicles  but  theirs  shall  tell 

His  mournful  doom  to  future  times. 
•    May  these  upon  his  virtues  dwell, 
And  in  his  fate  forget  his  crimes  !" 

The  war  was  now  virtually  at  an  end.  Still 
there  were  many  broken  bands  of  Indians  wan- 


1677.J  DEATH  OF  KING  PHILIP.       367 

Ann  a  wan.  Plan  for  his  capture.  The  march. 

dering  through  the  wilderness  in  a  state  of  utter 
desperation ;  they  knew  that  to  surrender  doom- 
ed them  to  death  or  to  hopeless  slavery.  Though 
they  were  unable  to  wage  any  effective  warfare, 
they  could  desolate  the  settlements  with  mur- 
ders and  with  terrible  depredations. 

A  few  days  after  the  death  of  King  Philip, 
intelligence  was  brought  to  Plymouth  that  An- 
nawan,  Philip's  chief  captain,  a  man  of  indom- 
itable energy,  was  ranging  the  woods  with  a 
band  of  warriors  in  the  vicinity  of  Rehoboth 
and  Swanzey,  and  doing  great  mischief. 

Annawan  was  now  commander-in-chief  of  all 
the  remaining  Indian  forces.  His  death  or  cap- 
ture was  accordingly  esteemed  a  matter  of  great 
moment.  Captain  Church  immediately  gather- 
ed around  him  a  band  of  his  enthusiastic  troops. 
They  were  so  devoted  to  their  successful  com- 
mander that  they  declared  their  readiness  to  fol- 
low him  as  long  as  an  Indian  was  left  in  the 
woods.  They  immediately  commenced  their 
march,  and  ranged  the  woods  along  the  Pocas- 
set  shore.  Not  finding  any  Indians,  they 
crossed  the  arm  of  the  bay  in  canoes  to  Rhode' 
Island,  intending  to  spend  the  next  day,  which 
was  the  Sabbath,  there  in  religious  rest.  Early 
the  next  morning,  however,  a  messenger  inform- 


368  KING   PHILIP.  [1677. 

A  violent  gale.  Resolution.  Reluctance  of  the  Indians. 

ed  the  captain  that  a  canpe  filled  with  Indians 
had  been  seen  passing  from  Prudence  Island  to 
the  west  side  of  Bristol,  which  was  then  called 
Poppasquash  Neck.  Captain  Church,  thinking 
that  these  men  were  probably  going  to  join  the 
band  of  Annawan,  resolved  immediately  to  pur- 
sue them.  He  had  no  means  of  transporting 
his  troops  but  in  two  or  three  frail  birch  ca- 
noes. He  crossed  himself,  however,  with  six- 
teen of  his  Indian  allies,  when  the  gale  increased 
to  such  severity,  and  hove  up  such  a  tumultu- 
ous sea,  that  the  canoes  could  no  longer  pass. 
Captain  Church  now  found  himself  upon  Bris- 
tol Neck  with  but  sixteen  Indian  allies  around 
him,  while  all  the  rest  of  his  force,  including 
nearly  all  of  his  English  soldiers,  were  upon 
Rhode  Island,  and  cut  off  from  all  possibility 
of  immediately  joining  him.  Still,  the  intrepid 
captain  adopted  the  resolve  to  march  in  pursuit 
of  the  enemy,  though  he  was  aware  that  he 
might  meet  them  in  overwhelming  numbers. 

The  Indians  expressed  some  reluctance  to  go 
unaccompanied  by  English  soldiers ;  finally, 
however,  they  consented.  Skulking  through 
almost  impenetrable  thickets,  they  came  to  a 
salt  meadow  just  north  of  the  present  town  of 
Bristol.  It  was  now  night,  and  though  they 


1677.J  DEATH    OF   KING  PHILIP.      369 

Uncomfortable  night.  Successful  decoy. 

had  heard  the  report  of  two  guns  in  the  woods, 
they  had  met  no  Indians.  A  part  of  their  com- 
pany, who  had  been  sent  out  on  a  skulk,  had 
not  returned,  and  great  anxiety  was  felt  lest 
they  had  fallen  into  an  ambush  and  been  cap- 
tured. The  night  was  dark,  and  cold,  and 
dreary.  They  had  not  a  morsel  of  bread,  and 
no  food  to  cook  ;  they  did  not  dare  to  build  a 
fire,  as  the  flame  would  be  sure  to  attract  their 
wakeful  enemies.  Hungry  and  solitary,  the 
hours  of  the  night  lingered  slowly  away.  In 
the  earliest  dawn  of  the  morning,  the  Indian 
scouts  returned  with  the  following  extraordinary 
story,  which  proved  to  be  true.  They  said  that 
they  had  not  advanced  far  when  they  discover- 
ed two  Indians  at  a  distance  approaching  them 
upon  one  horse.  The  scouts  immediately  hid 
in  the  brush  in  parallel  lines  at  a  little  distance 
from  each  other.  One  of  the  Indians  then  sta- 
tioned himself  as  a  decoy,  and  howled  like  a 
wolf.  The  two  Indians  immediately  stopped, 
and  one,  sliding  from  the  horse,  came  running 
along  to  see  what  was  there.  The  cunning  In- 
dian, howling  lower  and  lower,  drew  him  on  be- 
tween those  lying  in  wait  for  him,  until  they 
seized  and  instantly  gagged  him.  The  other, 
seeing  that  his  companion  did  not  return,  and 
2—24 


370  KING  PHILIP.  [1677. 

The  plan  repeated.        Making  proselytes.        Advantages  to  be  gained. 

still  hearing  the  faint  howlings  of  the  wolf,  also 
left  his  horse,  and  soon  experienced  the  same 
fate. 

The  two  captives  they  then  examined  apart, 
and  found  them  to  agree  in  the  story  that  there 
were  eight  more  Indians  who  had  come  with 
them  into  the  Neck  in  search  of  provisions,  and 
that  they  had  all  agreed  to  meet  at  an  old  In- 
dian burying-place  that  evening.  The  two  cap- 
tives chanced  to  be  former  acquaintances  of  the 
leader  of  the  scouting  party.  He  told  them  en- 
ticing stories  of  the  bravery  of  Captain  Church, 
and  of  the  advantages  of  fighting  with  him  and 
for  him  instead  of  against  him.  The  vagabond 
prisoners  were  in  a  very  favorable  condition  to 
be  influenced  by  such  suggestions.  They  heart- 
ily joined  their  victors,  and  aided  in  entrapping 
their  unsuspecting  comrades.  The  eight  were 
soon  found,  and,  by  a  continuance  of  the  same 
stratagem,  were  all  secured.  All  these  men 
immediately  co-operated  with  Captain  Church's 
company,  and  aided  in  capturing  their  remain- 
ing friends.  In  this  perhaps  they  were  to  be 
commended,  as  there  was  nothing  before  them 
but  misery,  starvation,  and  death  in  the  wilder- 
ness, while  there  was  at  least  food  and  life  with 
Captain  Church. 


1677.]  DEATH  OF  KING  PHILIP.       371 

A  feast.  The  Indians  in  good-humor.  Women  captured. 

With  their  band  thus  strengthened  there  was 
less  fear  of  surprise.  A  horse  was  killed,  roar- 
ing fires  built,  and  the  Indians,  roasting  the 
meat  upon  wooden  spits,  exulted  for  a  few  hours 
in  a  feast  of  steaks  which,  to  them  at  least,  were 
savory  and  delicious.  The  Indians  usually  car- 
ried salt  in  their  pockets :  with  this  alone  they 
seasoned  their  horse-flesh.  As  there  was  not 
a  morsel  of  bread  to  be  obtained,  Captain  Church 
had  no  better  fare  than  his  savage  companions. 

The  Indians  were  now  in  exceeding  good- 
humor.  All  having  eaten  their  fill,  and  load- 
ing themselves  with  a  sufficient  supply  for  the 
day,  they  commenced  their  march,  under  the 
guidance  of  the  captives,  to  the  place,  where 
they  had  left  their  women  and  children.  All 
were  surprised  and  captured.  But  no  one  could 
tell  where  Annawan  was  to  be  found.  All 
agreed  in  the  declaration  that  he  was  continu- 
ally roving  about,  never  sleeping  twice  in  the 
same  place. 

One  of  the  Indian  prisoners  entreated  Captain 
Church  to  permit  him  to  go  into  a  swamp,  about 
•four  miles  distant,  where  his  father  was  con- 
cealed with  his  young  wife.  He  promised  to 
bring  them  both  in.  Captain  Church,  thinking 
that  he  might,  perhaps,  obtain  some  intelli- 


372  KING  PHILIP.  [1677. 

Capture  of  an  old  man.  11  is  story. 

gence  respecting  Annawan,  decided  to  go  with 
him.  Taking  with  him  one  Englishman  and 
a  few  Indians,  and  leaving  the  rest  to  remain 
where  they  were  until  his  return,  he  set  out 
upon  this  enterprise. 

When 'they  arrived  on  the  borders  of  the 
swamp,  the  Indian  was  sent  forward  in  search 
of  his  father.  Pretty  soon  they  heard  a  low 
howling,  which  was  promptly  responded  to  by 
a  corresponding  howl  at  a  distance.  At  length 
they  saw  an  old  man  coming  toward  them  with 
his  gun  upon  his  shoulder,  and  followed  by  a 
young  Indian  girl,  his  daughter.  Concealing 
themselves  on  each  side  of  the  narrow  trail,  Cap- 
tain Church's  party  awaited  their  approach,  and 
seized  them  both.  Threatening  them  with  ter- 
rible punishment  if  they  deceived  him  with  any 
falsehood,  he  examined  them  apart. 

Both  agreed  that  they  had  been  lately  in  An- 
nawan's  camp ;  that  he  had  with  him  about  six- 
ty Indians,  and  that  he  was  at  but  a  few  miles' 
distance,  in  Squannacorik  Swamp,  in  the  south- 
easterly part  of  Rehoboth.  "  Can  I  get  there 
to-night  ?"  inquired  Captain  Church.  "  If  you 
set  out  immediately,"  the  old  Indian  replied, 
**  and  travel  stoutly,  you  can  reach  there  by 
sunset." 


1677.]   DEATH   OF  KING  PHILIP.      373 

A  new  enterprise  proposed.  Energetic  resolve  of  Captain  Church. 

Just  then  the  young  Indian  who  had  been  in 
search  of  his  father  returned  with  his  father  and 
another  Indian.  Captain  Church  was  now  in 
much  perplexity.  He  was  very  desirous  of  go- 
ing in  pursuit  of  Annawan  before  the  wary  sav- 
age should  remove  to  other  quarters.  He  had, 
however,  but  half  a  dozen  men  with  him,  and  it 
was  necessary  to  send  a  messenger  back  to  ac- 
quaint those  who  had  been  left  of  his  design. 
Collecting  his  little  band  together,  he  inquired 
if  they  were  ready  to  go  with  him  to  endeavor 
to  take  Annawan.  The  enterprise  appeared  1o 
them  all  very  perilous.  They  replied, 

"  We  are  willing  to  obey  your  commands. 
But  Annawan  is  a  renowned  and  veteran  war- 
rior. He  served  under  Pometacom's  father,  and 
has  been  Pometacom's  chief  captain  during  this 
war.  He  is  a  very  subtle  man,  a  man  of  great 
energy,  and  has  often  said  that  he  would  never 
be  taken  alive  by  the  English.  Moreover,  the 
warriors  who  are  with  him  are  very  resolute 
men.  We  therefore  fear  that  it  would  be  im- 
possible to  take  him  with  so  small  a  band.  We 
should  but  throw  away  our  lives." 

Still,  Captain  Church,  relying  upon  his  own 
inexhaustible  resources,  and  upon  the  well- 
known  despondency  and  despair  of  the  Indians, 


374  KING  PHILIP.  [1677. 

E.ithusiaam  aroused.  The  old  man  a  guide. 

resolved  to  go,  and  with  a  few  words  roused 
the  enthusiasm  of  his  impulsive  and  fickle  fol- 
lowers. He  sent  the  young  Indian,  with  his 
father  and  the  young  squaw,  back  to  the  camp, 
while  he  took  the  other  old  man  whom  he  had 
captured  as  his  guide.  "  You  have  given  me 
my  life,"  said  the  Indian,  "  and  it  is  my  duty 
to  serve  you." 

Energetically  they  commenced  their  march 
through  the  woods,  the  old  man  leading  off  with 
tremendous  strides.  Occasionally  he  would  get 
so  far  in  advance  that  the  party  would  lose  sight 
of  him,  when  he  would  stop  until  they  came 
up.  He  might  easily  have  escaped  had  he 
wished  to  do  so.  Just  as  the  sun  was  setting, 
the  old  man  made  a  full  stop  and  sat  down. 
The  rest  of  the  company  came  up,  all  being  very 
weary,  and  sat  down  around  him. 

"At  this  hour,"  said  the  old  man,  "Anna- 
wan  always  sends  out  his  scouts.  We  must 
conceal  ourselves  here  until  after  dark,  when 
the  scouts  will  have  returned." 

As  soon  as  the  darkness  of  night  had  settled 
over  the  forest,  the  old  man  again  rose  to  re- 
sume the  march.  Captain  Church  said  to  him, 

"  Will  you  take  a  gun  and  fight  for  us  ?" 

The  faithful  guide  bowed  very  low,  and  no- 


1677.]   DEATH   OF   KING   PHILIP.      375 

Arrival  at  Annawan's  retreat.  Drake's  description  of  the  place. 

bly  said,  "  I  pray  you  not  to  impose  upon  me 
such  a  thing  as  to  fight  Annawan,  my  old  friend. 
I  will  go  along  with  you  and  be  helpful  to  you, 
and  will  lay  hands  on  any  man  who  shall  offer 
to  hurt  you." 

In  the  gloom  of  the  wilderness  it  was  now 
very  dark,  and  all  kept  close  together,  and  moved 
cautiously  and  silently  along.  Soon  they  heard 
a  noise  as  of  a  woman  pounding  corn.  All 
stopped  and  listened.  They  had  arrived  at 
Annawan's  retreat.  Captain  Church,  with  one 
Englishman  and  half  a  dozen  Indians,  most  of 
whom  had  been  taken  captive  that  very  day, 
were  about  to  attack  one  of  the  fiercest  and 
most  redoubtable  of  Philip's  chieftains,  sur- 
rounded by  sixty  of  his  tribe,  many  of  whom 
were  soldiers  of  a  hundred  battles.  Drake,  in 
his  Book  of  the  Indians,  gives  the  following  de- 
scription of  this  noted  place : 

"It  is  situated  in  the  southeasterly  corner 
of  Rehoboth,  about  eight  miles  from  Taunton 
Green,  a  few  rods  vfrom  the  road  which  leads  to 
Providence,  and  on  the  southeasterly  side  of  it. 
If  a  straight  line  were  drawn  from  Taunton  to 
Providence,  it  would  pass  very  nearly  over  this 
place.  Within  the  limits  of  an  immense  swamp 
of  nearly  three  thousand  acres  there  is  a  small 


376  KING  PHILIP.  [1677. 

Annawan's  retreat.  Employments  of  the  Indians. 

piece  of  upland,  separated  from  the  main  only 
by  a  brook,  which  in  some  seasons  is  dry.  This 
island,  as  we  may  call  it,  is  nearly  covered  with 
an  enormous  rock,  which  to  this  day  is  called 
Annawan's  Rock.  Its  southeast  side,  presents 
an  almost  perpendicular  precipice,  and  rises  to 
the  height  of  twenty-rive  or  thirty  feet.  The 
northwest  side  is  very  sloping  and  easy  of  as- 
cent, being  at  an  angle  of  not  more  than  thirty- 
rive  or  forty  degrees.  A  more  gloomy  and  hid- 
den recess,  even  now,  although  the  forest-tree 
no  longer  waves  over  it,  could  hardly  be  found 
by  any  inhabitant  of  the  wilderness." 

Creeping  cautiously  to  the  summit  of  the 
rock,  Captain  Church  looked  down  over  its  pre- 
cipitous edge  upon  the  scene  presented  below. 
The  spectacle  which  opened  to  his  view  was 
wild  and  picturesque  in  the  extreme.  He  saw 
three  bands  of  Indians  at  short  distances  from 
each  other,  gathered  around  several  fires.  Their 
pots  and  kettles  were  boiling,  and  meat  was 
roasting  upon  the  spits.  Some  of  the  Indians 
were  sleeping  upon  the  ground,  others  were 
cooking,  while  others  were  sitting  alone  and  si- 
lent, and  all  seemed  oppressed  and  melancholy. 
Directly  under  the  rock  Annawan  himself  was 
lying;  apparently  asleep,  with  his  son  by  his 


1677.J   DEATH   OF   KING   PHILIP.      377 

Precipitous  descent.  Mode  of  entering  the  retreat. 

side.  The  guns  of  the  Indians  were  stacked 
at  a  little  distance  from  the  fires,  with  mats 
spread  over  them  to  protect  them  from  the 
weather.  It  seemed  impossible  to  descend  the 
precipitous  face  of  the  rock,  and  Captain  Church 
accordingly  crept  back  and  inquired  of  his  guide 
if  they  could  not  approach  by  some  other  way. 

"No,"  answered  the  guide.  "All  who  be- 
long to  Annawan's  company  are  ordered  to  ap- 
proach by  that  entrance,  and  none  can  from  any 
other  direction  without  danger  of  being  shot." 

rihe  old  man  and  his  daughter  had  left  the 
encampment  of  Annawan  upon  some  mission ; 
their  return,  therefore,  would  excite  no  suspi- 
cion. They  both  had  tule  baskets  bound  to 
their  backs.  Captain  Church  directed  them  to 
clamber  down  the  rocks  to  the  spot  where  An- 
nawan was  reposing.  Behind  their  shadow 
Church  and  two  or  three  of  his  soldiers  crept 
also.  The  night  was  dark,  and  the  expiring 
embers  of  Annawan's  fire  but  enabled  the  ad- 
venturers more  securely  to  direct  their  steps. 
The  old  chief,  in  a  doze,  with  his  son  by  his 
side,  hearing  the  rustling  of  the  bushes,  raised 
his  eyes,  and  seeing  the  old  Indian  and  his 
daughter,  suspected  no  danger,  and  again  closed 
his  eyes.  In  this  manner,  supporting  them- 


378  KING    PHILIP.  [1677. 

Annawai)  captured.  A  quiet  surrender. 

selves  by  roots  and  vines,  the  small  party  ef- 
fected its  descent  undiscovered.  Captain 
Church,  with  his  hatchet  in  his  hand,  stepped 
directly  over  the  young  man's  head,  and  seized 
his  weapons  and  those  of  his  father.  The 
young  Annawan,  discovering  Captain  Church, 
whipped  his  blanket  over  his  head,  and  shrunk 
up  in  a  heap.  Old  Annawan,  starting  from  his 
recumbent  posture,  and  supposing  himself  sur- 
rounded by  the  English  army,  exclaimed,  "Ho- 
woh,"  I  am  taken,  and  sank  back  upon  the 
ground  in  despair.  Their  arms  were  instantly 
secured,  and  perfect  silence  was  commanded  on 
pain  of  immediate  death.  The  Indians  who 
had  followed  Captain  Church  down  over  the 
rock,  having  received  previous  instructions,  im- 
mediately hastened  to  the  other  fires,  and  in- 
formed the  Indians  that  their  chief  was  taken 
a  captive ;  that  they  were  surrounded  by  the 
English  army,  so  that  escape  was  impossible ; 
and  that,  at  the  slightest  resistance,  a  volley  of 
bullets  would  be  poured  in  upon  them,  which 
would  mow  them  all  down.  They  were  as- 
sured that  if  they  would  peacefully  submit  they 
might  expect  the  kindest  treatment. 

As   Church's  Indians  were   all   acquainted 
with  Annawan's  company,  many  of  them  being 


1677.]   DEATH   OF   KING   PHILIP.      379 

A  grand  repast.  Attempted  repose.  Effect  of  excitement 

relatives,  the  surprised  party  without  hesitancy 
surrendered  both  their  guns  and  hatchets,  and 
they  were  carried  to  Captain  Church.  His 
whole  force  of  six  men  was  now  assembled  at 
one  spot,  but  the  Indians  still  supposed  that 
they  were  surrounded  by  a  powerful  army  in 
ambush,  with  loaded  muskets  pointed  at  them. 
Matters  being  thus  far  settled,  Annawan  ordered 
an  abundant  supper  to  be  prepared  of  "  cow 
beef  and  horse  beef."  Victors  and  vanquished 
partook  of  this  repast  together.  It  was  now 
thirty-six  hours  since  Captain  Church  and  his 
men  had  had  any  sleep.  Captain  Church,  over- 
whelmed with  responsibility  and  care,  was  ut- 
terly exhausted.  He  told  his  men  that  if  they 
would  let  him  have  a  nap  of  two  hours,  he 
vyould  then  keep  watch  for  all  the  rest  of  the 
flight,  and  they  might  sleep.  He  laid  himself 
down,  but  the  excitement  caused  by  his  strange 
«,nd  perilous  position  drove  all  slumber  from 
his  eyelids.  He  looked  around  him,  and  soon 
the  whole  company  was  soundly  sleeping,  all 
excepting  Annawan  himself.  The  Indian  and 
the  English  chieftain  lay  side  by  side  for  an 
hour,  looking  steadfastly  at  each  other,  neither 
uttering  a  word.  Captain  Church  could  not 
speak  Indian,  and  he  supposed  that  Annawan 


380  KING   PHILIP.  [>J77. 

Disappearance  of  Annawan.  .    •  A  magniticvnt  present. 

could  not  speak  English.  At  length  Annawan 
arose,  laid  aside  his  blanket,  and  deliberately 
walked  away.  Almost  before  Captain  Church 
had  time  to  collect  his  thoughts,  he  had  disap- 
peared in  the  midnight  gloom  of  the  forest. 
Though  all  the  arms  of  the  Indians  had  been 
taken  from  them,  Captain  Church  was  appre- 
hensive that  Annawan  might  by  some  means 
obtain  a  gun  and  attempt  some  violence.  He 
knew  that  pursuit  would  be  in  vain  in  the  dark- 
ness of  the  night  and  of  the  forest. 

Placing  himself  in  such  a  position  by  the  side 
of  young  Annawan  that  any  shot  which  should 
endanger  him  would  equally  endanger  the  son, 
he  remained  for  some  time  in  great  anxiety. 
At  length  he  heard  the  sound  of  approaching 
footsteps.  Just  then  the  moon  broke  from 
among  the  clouds,  and  shone  out  with  great 
brilliance.  By  its  light  he  saw  Annawan  re- 
turning, with  something  glittering  in  his  hand. 
The  illustrious  chieftain,  coming  up  to  Captain 
Church,  presented  him  with  three  magnificent 
belts  of  wampum,  gorgeously  embroidered  with 
flowers,  and  pictures  of  beasts  and  birds.  They 
were  articles  of  court  dress  which  had  belonged 
to  King  Philip,  and  were  nearly  a  foot  wide  and 
eight  or  ten  feet  long.  He  also  had  in  his 


1677.]   DEATH  OF  KING  PHILIP.         381 

Address  to  Captain  Church.  Relation  of  early  adventure?. 

hands  two  powder-horns  filled  with  powder,  and 
a  beautiful  crimson  blanket.  Presenting  these 
to  Captain  Church,  he  said,  in  plain  English, 

"  Great  captain,  you  have  killed  King  Philip. 
I  believe  that  I  and  my  company  are  the  last 
that  war  against  the  English.  I  suppose  the 
war  is  ended  by  your  means,  and  therefore  these 
things  belong  to  you.  They  were  Philip's  roy- 
alties, with  which  he  adorned  himself  when  he 
sat  in  state.  I  think  myself  happy  in  having 
an  opportunity  to  present  them  to  you." 

Neither  of  these  illustrious  men  could  sleep 
amid  the  excitements  of  these  eventful  hours. 
Annawan  was  an  intelligent  man,  and  was  fully 
conscious  that  a  further  continuance  of  the 
struggle  was  hopeless.  With  the  most  confid- 
ing frankness,  he  entertained  his  conqueror  with 
the  history  of  his  life  from  his  earliest  child- 
hood to  the  present  hour.  The  whole  remain- 
der of  the  night  was  spent  in  this  discourse,  in 
which  Annawan,  with  wonderfully  graphic  skill, 
described  his  feats  of  arms  in  by-gone  years, 
when,  under  Massasoit,  Philip's  father,  he  led 
his  warriors  against  hostile  tribes. 

As  soon  as  day  dawned,  Captain  Church  col- 
lected his  men  and  his  sixty  prisoners,  and, 
emerging  from  the  swamp,  took  up  their  inarch 


382  KING   PHILIP.  [1677. 

Attempt  to  save  Annawan's  life.  Tuspaquin.  His  exploits. 

for  Taunton.  They  soon  gained  the  Taunton 
road,  about  four  miles  from  the  town,  and  there, 
according  to  appointment,  met  Lieutenant  How^ 
land,  with  the  men  who  had  been  left  behind. 
They  lodged  at  Taunton  that  night.  The  next 
morning  all  the  prisoners  were  sent  forward  to 
Plymouth  excepting  Annawan.  Captai  n  Church 
was  anxious  to  save  his  life,  and  took  the  old 
chieftain  with  him  to  Rhode  Island.  After  a 
few  days  he  returned  with  him  to  Plymouth. 
Captain  Church  plead  earnestly  that  Annawan's 
life  might  be  spared,  and  supposing,  without  any 
doubt,  that  this  request  would  not  be  denied 
him,  set  out,  after  a  few  days,  in  pursuit  of 
another  small  band  of  Indians  who  were  com- 
mitting robberies  in  the  vicinity  of  Plymouth. 

The  leader  of  this  band  was  Tuspaquin,  sa- 
chem of  Namasket.  At  the  beginning  of  the 
conflict  he  had  led  three  hundred  warriors  into 
the  field.  He  led  the  band  which  laid  nineteen 
buildings  in  ashes  in  Scituate  on  the  twentieth 
of  April,  and  which  burned  seventeen  buildings 
in  Bridgewater  on  the  eighth  of  May.  Also, 
on  the  eleventh  of  May,  he  had  burned  eleven 
houses  and  five  barns  in  Plymouth.  The  En- 
glish were  consequently  exceedingly  exasperated 
against  him.  Tuspaquin  had  great  renown 


1677.]   DEATH  OF  KING  PHILIP.        383 

Superstitious  belief.  Discovery  of  the  Indians. 

among  his  soldiers.  He  had  been  in  innumer- 
able perils,  and  had  never  been  wounded.  The 
Indians  affirmed  that  no  bullet  could  penetrate 
his  body;  that  they  had  often  seen  them  strike 
him  and  glance  off. 

Intelligence  had  been  brought  to  Plymouth 
that  Tuspaquin  was  in  the  vicinity  of  Sippican, 
now  Rochester,  doing  great  damage  to  the  in- 
habitants, killing  their  horses,  cattle,  and  swine. 

Monday  afternoon  Captain  Church  set  out  in 
pursuit  of  him.  The  next  morning  they  dis- 
covered a  trail  in  the  forest,  and,  following  it 
noiselessly,  they  came  to  a  place  called  Laken- 
ham,  where  the  thicket  was  almost  impenetra- 
ble. Smoke  was  discovered  rising  from  this 
thicket,  and  two  Indians  crept  in  to  see  what 
could  be  discovered.  They  soon  returned  with 
a  report  that  quite  a  party  of  Indians,  mostly 
women  and  children,  were  sitting  silently  around 
the  embers.  Captain  Church  ordered  every 
man  to  creep  on  his  hands  and  feet  until  they 
had  formed  a  circle  around  the  Indians,  and 
then,  at  a  given  signal,  to  make  a  rush,  and  take 
them  all  prisoners.  The  stratagem  was  entire- 
ly successful. 

Captain  Church  found,  to  his  extreme  satis- 
faction, that  he  had  captured  the  wife  and  chil- 


384  KING   PHILIP.  [1677. 

Capture  of  Tuspaquin's  relatives.  Outrageous  violation  of  faith. 

dren  of  Tuspaquin.  and  most  of  his  relatives. 
They  said  that  he  had  gone,  with  two  other  Inj 
dians,  to  Wareham  and  Rochester  to  kill  horses. 
Captain  Church  took  all  his  prisoners  back  to 
Plymouth  except  two  old  squaws.  They  were 
left  at  the  encampment  with  a  good  supply  of 
food,  and  were  directed  to  inform  Tuspaquin 
on  his  return  that  Captain  Church  had  been 
there,  and  had  captured  his  wife  and  his  chil- 
dren ;  that,  if  he  would  surrender  himself  and 
his  companions  at  Plymouth,  they  should  be 
received  kindly,  be  well  provided  for,  and  he 
would  employ  them  as  his  soldiers. 

The  next  day  Captain  Church  had  occasion 
to  go  to  Boston.  Upon  his  return  after  a  few 
days,  he  found,  to  his  extreme  chagrin  and  grief, 
that  Tuspaquin  had  come  in  and  surrendered ; 
that  both  he  and  Annawan  had  been  tried  as 
murderers,  and  had  been  condemned  and  exe- 
cuted. This  transaction  can  not  be  too  severa- 
ly  condemned. 


1677.]  CONCLUSION  OF  THE  WAK.      385 

End  of  the  war  in  the  Middle  States. 


CHAPTEE   XII. 
CONCLUSION  OF  THE  WAR. 

THE  war  was  now  at  an  end  in  Plymouth, 
Massachusetts,  and  Connecticut,  as  near- 
ly all  the  hostile  Indians  were  either  killed,  cap- 
tured, or  had  submitted  to  the  mercy  of  their 
victors.  A  feW  hundred  desperate  Warriors,  too 
proud  to  yield  and  too  feeble  to  continue  the 
fight,  fled  in  a  body  through  the  wilderness,  be- 
yond the  Hudson,  and  were  blended  with  the 
tribes  along  the  banks  of  the  Mohawk  and  the 
shores  of  the  great  lakes.  There  were  also 
many  bloody  wretches,  who,  conscious  that  their 
crimes  were  quite  unpardonable,  fled  to  the  al- 
most impenetrable  forests  of  the  north  and  the 
east. 

In  the  remote  districts  of  New  Hampshire 
and  Maine  the  war  still  raged  with  unabated 
violence.  Bands  of  savages  were  roving  over 
the  whole  territory,  carrying  conflagration  and 
blood  to  the  homes  of  the  lonely  settlers.  There 
were  no  large  gatherings  for  battle,  but  prowl- 
ing companies  of  from  two  or  three  to  a  hund- 

2—25 


386  KING  PHILIP.  [1677. 

Devastation  in  Maine.  Character  of  Sqnando. 

red  spread  terror  and  devastation  in  all  direc- 
tions. 

At  this  period  the  towns  and  plantations  in 
the  State  of  Maine  were  but  thirteen.  The  En- 
glish population  was  about  six  thousand ;  the 
Indians,  divided  into  many  petty  tribes,  were 
probably  about  eighteen  thousand  in  number. 
These  Indians  had  for  some  time  been  rather 
unfriendly  to  the  English,  and  an  act  of  gross 
outrage  roused  them  to  combine  in  co-operation 
with  King  Philip.  An  illustrious  Indian,  by 
the  name  of  Squando,  was  sachem  of  the  Soko- 
kis  tribe,  which  occupied  the  region  in  the  vi- 
cinity of  Saco.  He  was  a  man  of  great  strength 
of  mind,  elevation  of  character,  and  of  singular 
gravity  and  impressi  veness  of  address.  One  day 
his  wife  was  paddling  down  the  River  Saco  in 
a  canoe,  with  her  infant  child.  Some  English 
sailors,  coming  along  in  a  boat,  accosted  her 
brutally,  and,  saying  that  they  had  understood 
that  Indian  children  could  swim  as  naturally  as 
young  ducks,  overset  the  canoe.  The  infant 
sank  like  lead.  The  indignant  mother  dove  to 
the  bottom  and  brought  up  her  exhausted  child 
alive,  but  it  soon  after  died.  Squando  was  so 
exasperated  by  this  outrage,  that,  with  his  whole 
soul  burning  with  indignation,  he  traversed  the 


1677.J  CONCLUSION  OF  THE  WAR.    387 

News  of  the  war  sent  to  York.  Attempt  to  release  a  captive. 

wilderness  to  rouse  the  scattered  tribes  to  a  war 
of  extermination  against  the  English. 

Just  then  the  appalling  tidings  came  of  the 
breaking  out  of  Philip's  war.  The  Plymouth 
colony  sent  a  messenger  to  York  to  inform  the 
inhabitants  of  their  danger,  and  to  urge  them 
to  disarm  the  Indians,  and  to  sell  them  no  more 
powder  or  shot.  A  party  of  volunteers  was  im- 
mediately sent  from  York  to  ascend  the  Ken- 
nebec  River,  inform  the  settlers  along  its  banks 
of  their  impending  danger,  and  ascertain  the 
disposition  of  the  Indians.  With  a  small  ves- 
sel they  entered  the  mouth  of  the  river,  then 
called  the  Sagadahock,  and  ascended  the  stream 
for  several  miles.  Here  they  met  twelve  In- 
dians, and,  strange  to  relate,  induced  them  to 
surrender  their  guns.  One  of  the  Indians,  more 
spirited  than  the  rest,  was  not  disposed  to  yield 
to  the  demand,  and,  becoming  enraged,  struck 
at  one  of  the  English  party  with  his  hatchet, 
endeavoring  to  kill  him.  He  was  promptly  ar- 
rested, bound,  and  confined  in  a  cellar. 

The  Indians  plead  earnestly  for  his  release, 
offering  many  apologies  for  his  crime.  They 
said  that  he  was  subject  to  fits  of  insanity,  and 
that  he  was  intoxicated.  They  offered  to  pay 
beavers'  skins  for  his  ransom,  and  to  leave 


.'588  KING   PHILIP.  [1677. 

Unfulfilled  promises.          Thomas  Purchas.          Dislike  of  the  Indiana 

hostages  for  his  good  behavior  in  the  hands  of 
the  English.  Upon  these  terms  the  prisoner 
was  released.  They  then,  in  token  of  amity, 
partook  of  an  abundant  repast,  smoked  the  pipe 
of  peace,  and  the  Indians  had  a  grand  dance, 
with  shouts  and  songs  which  made  the  welkin 
ring.  The  promises  of  the  Indians,  however, 
were  not  fulfilled.  The  hostages  all  run  away, 
and  not  a  beaver  skin  was  ever  paid. 

A  man  by  the  name  of  Thomas  Purchas  had 
built  him  a  hut  in  the  lonely  wilderness,  just  be- 
low the  Falls  of  the  Androscoggin,  in  the  pres- 
ent town  of  Brunswick.  His  family  dwelt  alone 
in  the  midst  of  the  wilderness  and  the  Indians. 
He  purchased  furs  of  the  natives,  and  took  them 
in  his  canoe  down  to  the  settlements  near  the 
mouth  of  the  Sagadahock,  from  whence  they 
were  transported  to  England.  He  is  reputed  to 
have  been  a  hard-hearted,  shrewd  man,  always 
sure  to  get  the  best  end  of  the  -bargain.  The 
Indians  all  disliked  him,  and  he  became  the 
first  sufferer  in  the  war. 

On  the  5th  of  September,  a  few  months  after 
the  commencement  of  hostilities  in  Swanzey, 
twenty  Indians  came  to  the  house  of  Purchas 
under  the  pretense  of  trading.  Finding  Purchas 
and  his  son  both  absent,  they  robbed  the  house 


1677.J  CONCLUSION   OF   THE  WAR.     389 

Hia  house  plundered.  Narrow  escap*  of  bis  son. 

of  every  thing  upon  which  they  could  lay  their 
hands.  They  found  rum,  and  soon  became 
frantically  drunk.  There  was  a  fine  calf  in 
the  barn,  and  a  few  sheep  at  the  door.  The  In- 
dians were  adroit  butchers.  The  veal  and  the 
mutton  were  soon  roasting  upon  their  spits. 
THey  danced,  they  shouted,  they  clashed  their 
weapons  in  exultation,  and  the  noise  of  the  Falls 
was  drowned  in  the  uproar  of  barbarian  wassail. 
One  of  their  exploits  was  to  rip  open  a  feather 
bed  for  the  pleasure  of  seeing  the  feathers  float 
away  in  the  air.  They,  however,  inflicted  no 
violence  upon  Mrs.  Purchas  or  her  children. 

In  the  midst  of  the  scene,  a  son  of  Mr.  Pur- 
chas was  approaching  home  upon  horseback. 
Alarmed  by  the  clamor,  he  cautiously  drew  near, 
and  was  in  consternation  in  view  of  the  savage 
spectacle.  Conscious  that  his  interposition 
could  be  of  no  possible  avail,  he  fled  for  life. 
The  Indians  caught  sight  of  him,  and  one  pur- 
sued him  for  some  distance  with  his  gun,  but 
he  escaped.  Soon  after  the  Indians  left,  telling 
Mrs.  Purchas  that  others  would  soon  come  and 
treat  them  worse. 

There  was  an  old  man  by  the  name  of  Wake- 
ly,  who  had  settled  near  the  moutK  of  Pre- 
sumpscot  River,  in  Falmouth.  His  family  con- 


390  KING  PHILIP.  [1677. 

A  captive  child  released  by  Squando. 

sisted  of  nine  persons.  A  week  after  the  rob- 
bery of  Mr.  Purchas's  house,  a  band  of  savages 
made  a  fierce  onset  upon  this  solitary  cabin. 
They  burnt  the  house  and  killed  all  the  family, 
except  the  youngest  daughter,  who  was  about 
eleven  years  of  age.  This  unfortunate  child 
was  carried  away  captive,  and  for  nine  months 
was  led  up  and  down  the  wilderness,  in  the  en- 
durance of  all  the  horrors  of  savage  life.  At 
one  time  she  was  led  as  far  south  as  Narragan- 
set  Bay,  which  led  to  the  supposition  that  some 
of  the  Narraganset  Indians  were  engaged  in  the 
capture.  The  celebrated  Squando,  in  whose 
character  humanity  and  cruelty  were  most  sin- 
gularly blended,  took  pity  upon  the  child,  res- 
cued her,  and  delivered  her  to  the  English  at 
Dover. 

A  family  living  several  miles  distant  from 
Falmouth,  at  Casco  Neck,  saw  the  smoke  of  the 
burning  house,  and  the  next  day  a  file  of  men 
repaired  to  the  place.  A  scene  of  horror  met 
their  eye  in  the  smouldering  ruins  and  the  man- 
gled corpses.  The  bodies  of  the  slain  the  sav- 
ages had  cut  up  in  the  most  revolting  manner. 
The  tidings  of  these  outrages  spread  rapidly, 
and  the  settlers,  in  their  solitary  homes,  were 
plunged  into  a  state  of  great  dismay. 


1677. J  CONCLUSION  OF  THE  WAR.    391 

Proceedings  about  Brunswick.  Attack  upon  Saco. 

There  were  at  this  time  in  Brunswick  two  or 
three  families  who  had  erected  their  houses  upon 
the  banks  of  New  Meadows.  A  party  of  twen- 
ty-five English  set  out  from  Casco  in  a  sloop 
and  two  boats,  sailed  along  the  bay,  and  enter- 
ed the  river.  The  inhabitants  had  already  fled, 
and  the  Indians  were  there,  about  thirty  in  num- 
ber, rifling  the  houses.  Seeing  the  approach  of 
the  English,  they  concealed  themselves  in  an 
ambush.  When  the  English  had  advanced  but 
a  few  rods  from  their  boats,  the  savages  rushed 
upon  them  with  hideous  yells,  wounded  several, 
drove  them  all  back  to  their  sloop,  and  captured 
two  boat-loads  of  Indian  corn. 

Emboldened  by  their  success,  a  few  days  aft- 
er, on  the  18th  of  September,  they  made  a  bold 
attack  upon  Saco.  A  friendly  Indian  informed 
Captain  Bonython,  who  lived  on  the  east  side 
of  the  river,  about  half  a  mile  below  the  Lower 
Falls,  that  a  conspiracy  was  formed  to  attack 
the  town.  The  alarm  was  immediately  com- 
municated to  all  the  settlers,  and  in  a  panic 
they  abandoned  their  houses,  and  took  refuge 
in  the  garrison  house  of  Major  Phillips,  which 
was  on  the  other  side  of  the  river.  The  Indians, 
unaware  that  their  plot  was  discovered,  came 
the  same  night  and  established  themselves  in 


392  KING   PHILIP.  [1G77. 

Long-continued  siege.  The  assailants  retire. 

ambush.  The  assailants  were  not  less  than  one 
hundred  in  number.  There  were  fifty  persons, 
men,  women,  and  children,  in  the  garrison,  of 
whom  but  ten  were  effective  men.  At  eleven 
o'clock  in  the  morning  tltey  commenced  the  as- 
sault. The  besieged  defended  themselves  with 
great  energy,  and  many  of  the  savages  fell  be- 
fore their  unerring  aim.  The  savages  at  length 
attempted  to  set  fire  to  the  house,  after  having 
assailed  it  with  a  storm  of  shot  all  the  day,  and 
through  the  night  until  four  in  the  morning. 
They  filled  a  cart  with  birch  bark,  straw,  and 
powder,  and,  setting  this  on  fire,  endeavored  to 
push  it  against  the  house  with  long  poles. 
They  had  ingeniously  constructed  upon  the  cart 
a  barricade  of  planks,  which  protected  those  who 
pushed  it  against  the  fire  of  the  house.  When 
they  had  got  within  pistol  shot,  one  wheel  be- 
came clogged  in  a  rut,  and  the  other  wheel  go- 
ing, whirled  the  cart  around,  so  as  to  expose  the 
whole  party  to  a  fatal  fire.  Six  men  almost  in- 
stantly fell  dead,  and  before  the  rest  could  es- 
cape, fifteen  of  them  were  wounded.  Disheart- 
ened by  this  disaster,  the  rest  sullenly  retired. 

Soon  after  this,  Phillips  abandoned  his  ex- 
posed situation,  and  his  house  was  burned  down 
by  the  savages.  On  the  20th  the  Indians  at- 


1077.]    CONCLUSION  OF  THE  WAR.    393 

Attack  upon  Scarborough.  Repulse  of  the  Indiana 

tacked  Scarborough,  destroyed  twenty-seven 
houses,  and  killed  several  of  the  inhabitants. 
The  principal  settlement  in  Saco  was  at  Winter 
Harbor.  Many  families  in  the  vicinity  had  fled 
to  that  place  for  refuge.  They  were  all  in  great 
danger  of  being  cut  off  by  the  savages.  A  par- 
ty of  sixteen  volunteers  from  South  Berwick 
took  a  sloop  and  hastened  to  their  rescue.  As 
they  were  landing  upon  the  beach,  they  were 
assailed  by  one  hundred  and  fifty  of  their  fierce 
foes.  The  English,  overpowered  by  numbers, 
were  in  great  danger  of  being  cut  off  to  a  man, 
when  they  succeeded  in  gaining  a  shelter  be- 
hind a  pile  of  logs.  From  this  breastwork  they 
opened  such  a  deadly  fire  upon  their  thronging 
foes  that  the  Indians  were  compelled  to  retire 
with  a  loss  of  many  of  their  number.  The  in- 
habitants of  the  garrison,  hearing  the  report  of 
the  guns,  sent  a  party  of  nine  to  aid  their 
friends.  These  men  unfortunately  fell  into  an 
ambush,  and  by  a  single  discharge  every  one 
was  cut  down.  This  same  band  then  ravaged 
the  settlements  in  Wells,  Hampton,  Exeter,  and 
South  Berwick. 

Great  exertions  had  been  made  to  prevent 
the  Indians  upon  the  Kennebec  from  engaging 
in  these  hostilities.  About  ten  miles  from  the 


394  KING  PHILIP.  [1677. 

Sagadahock.  Behavior  of  the  Indians.  Absurdity. 

mouth  of  the  Sagadahock  is  the  beautiful  island 
of  Arrowsic.  It  is  so  called  from  an  Indian 
who  formerly  lived  upon  it.  Two  Boston  mer- 
chants, Messrs.  Clark  and  Lake,  had  purchased 
this  island,  which  contains  many  thousand  acres 
of  fertile  land.  They  had  erected  several  large 
dwellings,  with  a  warehouse,  a  fort,  and  many 
other  edifices  near  the  water-side.  It  was  a 
very  important  place  for  trade,  being  equally 
accessible  by  canoes  to  all  the  Indians  on  the 
Androscoggin,  Kennebec,  and  Sheepscot.  Cap- 
tain Davis  was  the  general  agent  for  the  pro- 
prietors upon  this  island. 

The  Indians  in  all  this  region  were  daily  be- 
coming more  cold  and  sullen.  Captain  Davis, 
to  conciliate  them,  sent  a  messenger  up  all  these 
rivers  to  invite  the  Indians  to  come  down  and 
live  near  him,  assuring  them  that  he  would 
protect  them  from  all  mischief,  and  would  sell 
them  every  needed  supply  at  the  fairest  prices. 
The  messenger,  thinking  to  add  to  the  force  of 
the  invitation,  overstepping  his  instructions, 
threatened  them  that  if  they  did  not  accede  to 
his  request  the  English  would  come  and  kill 
them  all.  This  so  alarmed  the  Indians  that 
they  fled  to  the  banks  of  the  Penobscot,  which 
was  then  in  possession  of  the  French.  Here 
they  held  a  general  council. 


1677.]  CONCLUSION   OF  THE  WAR.   395 

Exertions  to  obtain  a  treat7.  Temporary  respite. 

Mr.  Abraham  Shurte  was  chief  magistrate  of 
the  flourishing  plantation  of  Pemaquid.  He 
was  a  man  of  integrity,  of  humanity,  and  of 
great  good  sense.  By  indefatigable  exertions, 
he  succeeded  in  obtaining  an  interview  with  the 
sachems,  and  entered  into  a  treaty  of  peace  with 
them.  In  consequence  of  this  treaty,  the  gen- 
eral court  of  Boston  ordered  considerable  sums 
of  money  to  be  disbursed  to  those  Indians  who 
would  become  the  subjects  or  allies  of  the  col- 
ony. There  was  thus  a  temporary  respite 
of  hostilities  in  this  section  of  the  country. 
Upon  the  banks  of  the  Piscataquis,  however, 
the  warfare  still  continued  unabated.  On  the 
16t!i  of  October,  one  hundred  Indians  assailed 
a,  house  in  South  Berwick,  burned  it  to  the 
ground,  killed  the  master  of  the  house,  and  car- 
ried his  son  into  captivity.  Lieutenant  Plais- 
ted,  commander  of  the  garrison,  viewing  the 
massacre  from  a  distance,  dispatched  nine  men 
to  reconnoitre  the  movements  of  the  enemy. 
They  fell  into  an  ambuscade,  and  three  were 
shot  down,  and  the  others  with  difficulty  es- 
caped. 

The  next  day  Lieutenant  Plaisted  ordered 
out  a  team  to  bring  in  the  bodies  for  interment. 
He  himself  led  twenty  men  as  a  guard.  As 


396  KING   PHILIP.  [1677. 

Route  of  the  English.  Bravery  of  Lieutenant  Planted. 

they  were  placing  the  bodies  in  a  cart,  a  party 
of  one  hundred  and  fifty  savages  rushed  upon 
them  from  a  thicket,  showering  a  volley  of  bul- 
lets upon  the  soldiers.  The  wounded  oxen 
took  fright  and  ran.  A  fierce  fight  ensued. 
Most  of  the  soldiers  retreated  and  regained  the 
garrison.  Lieutenant  Plaisted,  too  proud  to 
fly  or  to  surrender,  fought  till  he  was  literally 
hewn  in  pieces  by  the  hatchets  of  the  Indians. 
His  two  sons  also,  worthy  of  their  father,  fought 
till  one  was  slain,  and  the  other,  covered  with 
wounds  of  which  he  soon  died,  escaped.  The 
Indians  then  ravaged  the  regions  around,  plun- 
dering, burning,  and  killing. 

The  storms  of  winter  now  came  with  intense 
cold,  and  the  snow  covered  the  ground  four  feet 
deep  upon  a  level.  The  weather  compelled  a 
truce.  Though  the  Indians,  during  this  short 
campaign,  had  killed  eighty  of  the  English,  had 
burned  many  houses,  and  had  committed  depre- 
dations to  an  incalculable  amount,  still  they 
themselves  were  suffering  perhaps  even  more 
severely.  They  had  no  provisions,  and  no 
means  of  purchasing  any.  There  was  but  lit- 
tle game  in  these  northern  forests,  and  the  snow 
was  too  deep  for  hunting.  Their  ammunition 
was  consumed,  and  they  knew  not  how  to  ob- 


1677.]   CONCLUSION   OF   THE  WAR.    397 

Sufferings  of  the  Indiana.  Atrocious  conduct. 

tain  any  more.  Thus  they  were  starving  and 
almost  helpless.  Under  these  circumstances, 
they  manifested  a  strong  desire  for  peace. 
There  were,  however,  individuals  of  the  English 
who,  by  the  commission  of  the  most  infamous 
outrages,  fanned  anew  the  flames  of  war. 

Early  in  the  spring,  one  Laughton  had  ob- 
tained a  warrant  from  the  court  in  Massachu- 
setts to  seize  any  of  the  Eastern  Indians  who 
had  robbed  or  murdered  any  of  the  English. 
This  Laughton,  a  vile  kidnapper,  under  cover 
of  this  warrant,  lured  a  number  of  Indians  at 
Pemaquid  on  board  his  vessel.  None  of  them 
were  accused  of  any  crime,  and  it  is  not  known 
that  they  had  committed  any.  He  enticed 
them  below,  fastened  the  hatches  upon  them, 
and  carried  them  to  the  West  Indies,  where 
they  were  sold  as  slaves.  This  fact  was  noto- 
rious ;  and,  though  the  government  condemned 
the  deed,  and  did  what  it  could  to  punish  the 
offender,  still  the  unenlightened  Indians  consid- 
ered the  whole  white  race  responsible  for  the 
crimes  of  the  individual  miscreant. 

Some  of  the  Indian  chiefs  went  to  Pemaquid 
to  confer  with  Mr.  Shurte,  in  whom  they  re- 
posed much  confidence.  Their  complaint  was 
truly  touching. 


398  KING  PHILIP.  [1677. 

Just  complaints  of  the  Indians.  They  are  refused  ammunition. 

"Our  brothers,"  said  they,  "are  treacher- 
ously caught,  carried  into  foreign  parts,  and  sold 
as  slaves.  Last  fall  you  frightened  us  from  our 
corn-fields  on  the  Kennebec.  You  have  with- 
holden  powder  and  shot  from  us,  so  that  we 
can  not  kill  any  game ;  and  thus,  during  the 
winter,  many  have  died  of  starvation." 

Mr.  Shurte  did  what  he  could  to  conciliate 
them,  and  proposed  a  council.  It  was  soon 
convened.  The  Indians  appeared  fair  and  hon- 
orable, but  they  said  they  must  have  powder 
and  shot ;  that,  without  those  articles,  they 
could  have  no  success  in  the  chase,  and  they 
must  starve. 

"  Where,"  exclaimed  Madockawando,  earn- 
estly and  impatiently,  "  shall  we  buy  powdei 
and  shot  for  our  winter's  hunting  when  we  haW 
eaten  up  all  our  corn  ?  Shall  we  leave  English- 
men and  apply  to  the  French,  or  shall  we  let 
our  Indians  die  ?  We  have  waited  long  to  have 
you  tell  us,  and  now  we  want  yes  or  no." 

To  this  the  English  could  only  reply,  "You 
admit  that  the  Western  Indians  do  not  wish  for 
peace.  Should  you  let  them  have  the  powder 
we  sell  you,  what  do  we  better  than  to  cut  our 
own  throats  ?  This  is  the  best  answer  we  can  re- 
turn to  you,  though  you  should  wait  ten  years." 


1677.J  CONCLUSION   OF  THE   WAR.   399 

War  resumed.  Capture  of  a  fortresa 

At  this  the  chiefs  took  umbrage,  declined  any- 
farther  talk,  and  the  conference  was  broken  up 
angrily.  War  was  soon  resumed  in  all  its  hor- 
rors. 

Early  in  August  a  numerous  band  of  savages 
made  an  incursion  upon  Casco  Neck  and  swept 
it  of  its  inhabitants.  Thirty-four  of  the  colo- 
nists were  either  killed  or  carried  into  captivity. 
On  the  14th  of  August,  two  days  after  King 
Philip  was  slain  in  the  swamp  at  Mount  Hope, 
.a  party  of  Indians  landed  from  their  canoes  upon 
the  southeast  corner  of  the  island  of  Arrowsic, 
near  the  spot  where  the  fort  stood.  They  con- 
cealed themselves  behind  a  great  rock,  and,  with 
true  Indian  cunning,  notwithstanding  the  sen- 
tinels, succeeded  in  creeping  within  the  spacious 
inclosure  which  constituted  the  fortress.  They 
then  opened  a  sudden  and  simultaneous  fire 
upon  all  who  were  within  sight.  The  garrison, 
thus  taken  by  midnight  surprise,  were  in  a  state 
of  teri'ible  consternation.  A  hand  to  hand  fight 
ensued  of  the  utmost  ferocity.  The  Indians, 
however,  soon  overpowered  their  opponents 
and  applied  the  torch.  Captain  Davis,  who  was 
in  command  of  the  fort,  with  Mr.  Lake,  who  was 
one  of  the  owners  of  the  island,  escaped  with 
two  others  from  the  massacre  by  a  back  pas* 


KING  PHILIP. 


Mr.  Lake  killed.  Destruction  of  the  establish  mm  t. 

sage,  and,  rushing  to  the  water's  edge,  sprang 
into  a  canoe  and  endeavored  to  reach  another 
island.  The  savages,  however,  pursued  them, 
and,  taking  deliberate  aim  as  they  were  pad- 
dling to  the  opposite  shore,  killed  Mr.  Lake,  and 
wounded  Mr.  Davis,  so  as  to  render  him  help- 
less, just  as  he  was  stepping  upon  the  shore. 
The  savages  then  took  a  canoe  and  crossed  in 
pursuit  of  their  victims.  Captain  Davis  suc- 
ceeded in  hiding  himself  in  the  cleft  of  a  rock, 
and  eluded  their  search.  Here  he  remained  for 
two  days,  until  after  the  savages  had  left,  and 
then,  finding  an  old  canoe  upon  the  beach,  he 
succeeded  in  paddling  himself  across  the  water 
to  the  main  land,  where  he  was  rescued.  The 
other  two  who  were  not  wounded,  plunging  into 
the  forest,  also  effected  their  escape. 

The  exultant  savages  rioted  in  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  beautiful  establishment  upon  Arrow- 
sic.  The  spacious  mansion  house,  the  fortifi- 
cations, the  mills,  and  all  the  out-buildings, 
were  burned  to  the  ground.  Works  which  had 
cost  the  labor  of  years,  and  the  expenditure  of 
thousands  of  pounds,  were  in  an  hour  destroyed, 
and  the  whole  island  was  laid  desolate.  Thir- 
ty-five persons  were  either  killed  or  carried  into 
captivity.  The  dismay  which  now  pervaded 


1677.J  CONCLUSION  OF  THE  WAR.      401 

Unprotected  condition  of  the  settlements. 

the  plantations  in  Maine  was  terrible.  The  set- 
tlers were  very  much  scattered ;  there  was  no 
place  of  safety,  and  it  was  impossible,  under  the 
circumstances,  for  the  court  in  Massachusetts 
to  send  them  any  effectual  relief.  Most  of  the 
inhabitants  upon  the  Sheepscot  River  sought 
refuge  in  the  fort  at  Newagen.  The  people  at 
Pemaquid  fled  on  board  their  vessels ;  some 
sailed  for  Boston ;  others  crossed  over  to  the 
island  of  Monhegan,  where  they  strongly  forti- 
fied themselves.  They  had  hardly  left  their 
flourishing  little  village  of  Pemaquid  ere  dark 
columns  of  smoke  informed  them  that  the  sav- 
ages were  there,  and  that  their  homes  were  in  a 
blaze.  In  one  month,  fifty  miles  east  of  Casco 
Bay  were  laid  utterly  desolate.  The  inhabit- 
ants were  either  massacred,  carried  into  captiv- 
ity, or  had  fled  by  water  to  the  settlements  in 
Massachusetts. 

Many  of  the  beautiful  islands  in  Casco  Bay 
had  a  few  English  settlers  upon  them.  The 
Indians  paddled  from  one  to  another  in  their 
canoes,  and  the  inhabitants  generally  fell  easy 
victims  to  their  fury.  A  few  families  were 
gathered  upon  Jewell's  Island,  in  a  fortified 
house.  On  the  2d  of  September  a  party  of  In- 
dians landed  upon  the  island  for  their  destruc- 

2—26 


402  KING  PHILIP.  [1677. 

Ontoages  on  the  islands.  Aid  Bent  from  .  lassachusetts. 

tion.  Several  of  the  men  were  absent  from  the 
island  in  search  of  Indian  corn,  and  few  were 
left  in  the  garrison  excepting  women  and  chil- 
dren. A  man  was  in  his  boat  at  a  short  dis- 
tance from  the  shore  fishing,  while  his  wife  was 
washing  clothes  by  the  river  side,  surrounded 
by  her  children.  Suddenly  the  savages  sprang 
mpon  them,  and  took  them  all  captives  before 
the  eyes  of  the  husband  and  father,  who  could 
render  no  assistance.  One  of  the  little  boys, 
shrieking  with  terror,  ran  into  the  water,  calling 
mpon  his  father  for  help.  An  Indian  grasped 
him,  and,  as  the  distracted  father  presented  his 
gun,  the  savage  held  up  the  child  as  a  shield, 
and  thus  prevented  the  father  from  firing.  A 
brave  boy  in  the  garrison  shot  three  of  the  In- 
dians from  the  loop-holes.  Soon  assistance 
came  from  one  of  the  neighboring  islands,  and 
the  Indians  were  driven  to  their  canoes,  after 
having  killed  two  of  the  inhabitants  and  taken 
five  captives. 

In  this  state  of  things,  Massachusetts  sent 
two  hundred  men,  with  forty  Natick  Indians,  to 
Dover,  then  called  Cocheco,  from  whence  they 
were  to  march  into  Maine  and  New  Hampshire, 
wherever  they  could  be  most  serviceable.  Here 
they  met  unexpectedly  about  four  hundred  In* 


1677.]  CONCLUSION  OF  THE  WAR.      403 

Arrival  of  friendly  Indians.  Perplexity  of  Major  Waldron. 

dians,  who  had  come  from  friendly  tribes  pro- 
fessedly to  join  them  in  friendly  coalition.  The 
English  had  offered  to  receive  all  who  in  good 
faith  would  become  their  allies.  Many,  how- 
ever, of  these  men  were  atrocious  wretches, 
whose  hands  were  red  with  the  blood  of  the 
English.  Others  were  desperate  fellows,  who 
had  ravaged  Plymouth,  Connecticut,  and  Mas- 
sachusetts under  King  Philip,  and,  upon  his 
discomfiture,  had  fled  to  continue  their  barbari- 
ties in  the  remote  districts'  of  New  Hampshire 
and  Maine. 

Major  Waldron,  who  had  command  of  the 
English  troops,  was  in  great  perplexity.  Many 
of  the  Indians  of  this  heterogeneous  band  had 
come  together  in  good  faith,  relying  upon  his 
honor  and  fidelity.  But  the  English  soldiers, 
remembering  the  savage  cruelties  of  perhaps 
the  majority,  were  impatient  to  fall  upon  them 
indiscriminately  with  gun  and  bayonet.  In 
this  dilemma,  Major  Waldron  adopted  the  fol- 
lowing stratagem,  which  was  by  some  applaud- 
ed, and  by  others  censured. 

He  proposed  a  sham  fight,  in  which  the  In- 
dians were  to  be  upon  one  side  and  the  English 
upon  the  other.  In  the  course  of  the  manoeu- 
vres, he  so  contrived  it  that  the  Indians  gave  a 


404  KING   PHILIR  [1677. 

A  stratagem.  Was  it  right  ?  Disposition  of  the  prisoners. 

grand  discharge.  At  that  moment,  his  troops 
surrounded  and  seized  their  unsuspecting  vic- 
tims, and  took  them  all  prisoners,  without  the 
loss  of  a  man  on  either  side.  He  then  divided 
them  into  classes  with  as  much  care  as,  under 
the  circumstances,  could  be  practiced,  though 
doubtless  some  mistakes  were  made.  All  the 
fugitives  from  King  Philip's  band,  and  all  the 
Indians  in  the  vicinity  who  had  been  recently- 
guilty  of  bloodshed  or  outrage,  were  sent  as 
prisoners  to  Boston.  Here  they  were  tried; 
seven  or  eight  were  executed;  the  rest,  one 
hundred  and  ninety-two  in  number,  were  trans- 
ported to  the  West  Indies  and  sold  as  slaves. 

This  measure  excited  very  earnest  discussion 
in  the  colony.  Many  condemned  it  as  atro- 
cious, others  defended  it  as  a  necessity ;  but 
the  Indians  universally  were  indignant.  Even 
those,  two  hundred  in  number,  who  were  set  at 
liberty  as  acting  in  good  faith,  declared  that  it 
was  an  act  of  infamy  which  they  would  never 
forget  nor  forgive.  The  next  day  these  troops 
proceeded  by  water  to  Falmouth,  touching  at 
important  points  by  the  way. 

On  the  23d  of  September,  a  scouting  party 
of  seven  visited  Mountjoy's  Island.  An  In- 
dian party  fell  upon  them,  and  all  were  massa- 


1677.]   CONCLUSION   OF  THE  WAK.  405 

Massacre  of  scouts.  Treaty  concluded. 

cred.  These  men  were  all  heads  of  families, 
and  their  deaths  occasioned  wide-spread  woe. 
Two  days  after  this,  on  the  25th,  a  large  party 
of  Indians  ravaged  Cape  Neddock,  in  the  town 
of  York,  and  killed  or  carried  into  captivity 
forty  persons.  The  cruelties  they  practiced 
upon  the  inhabitants  are  too  revolting  to  be  de- 
scribed. 

Winter  now  set  in  again  with  tremendous 
seventy.  All  parties  experienced  unheard-of 
sufferings.  An  Indian  chieftain  by  the  name 
of  Mugg,  notorious  for  his  sagacity  and  his 
mercilessness,  now  came  to  the  Piscataqua  Riv- 
er and  proposed  peace.  The  English  were 
eager  to  accept  any  reasonable  terms.  On  the 
6th  of  November  the  treaty  was  concluded. 
Its  terms  were  these : 

1.  All  acts  of  hostility  shall  cease.  2.  En- 
glish captives  and  property  shall  be  restored. 
3.  Full  satisfaction  shall  be  rendered  to  the  En- 
glish for  damages  received.  4.  The  Indians 
shall  purchase  ammunition  only  of  those  whom 
the  governor  shall  appoint.  5.  Certain  notori- 
ous murderers  were  to  be  surrendered  to  the 
English.  6.  The  sachems  included  in  the 
treaty  engaged  to  take  arms  against  Indians 
who  should  still  persist  in  the  war. 


406  KING   PHILIP.  [1677. 

.Expedition  to  Uasco  Hay.  Landing  at  MaquoiL 

Notwithstanding  this  treaty,  the  aspect  of  af- 
fairs still  seemed  very  gloomy.  The  Indians 
were  sullen,  the  conduct  of  Mugg  was  very  sus- 
picious, threats  of  the  renewal  of  hostilities 
were  continually  reaching  the  English,  and  but 
few  captives  were  restored.  Appearances  con- 
tinued so  alarming  that,  on  the  7th  of  February, 
1677,  a  party  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  English 
and  sixty  Natick  Indians  sailed  for  Casco  Bay 
and  the  mouth  of  the  Kennebec,  to  overawe  the 
Indians  and  to  rescue  the  English  captives  who 
might  be  in  their  hands.  On  the  18th  of  Feb- 
ruary, Captain  Waldron,  who  commanded  this 
expedition,  landed  upon  Mair  Point,  about  three 
miles  below  Maquoit,  in  Brunswick.  They  had 
hardly  landed  ere  they  were  hailed  by  a  party 
of  Indians.  After  a  few  words  of  parley,  in 
which  the  Indians  appeared  far  from  friendly, 
they  retired,  and  the  English  sought  for  them 
in  vain.  About  noon  the  next  day  a  flotilla  of 
fourteen  canoes  was  discovered  out  in  the  bay 
pulling  for  the  shore.  The  savages  landed,  and 
in  a  few  moments  a  house  was  seen  in  flames. 
The  English  party  hastened  to  the  rescue,  fell 
upon  the  savages  from  an  unexpected  quarter, 
and  killed  or  wounded  several.  A  flag  of  truce 
was  presented,  which  produced  another  parley. 


1677.]  CONCLUSION   OF   THE  WAR.  407 

The  party  sail  for  the  Kennebec.  A  conference. 

"Why," inquired  Captain  Waldron,  "do  you 
not  bring  in  the  English  captives  as  you  prom- 
ised, and  why  do  you  set  fire  to  our  houses, 
and  begin  again  the  war?" 

"  The  captives,"  the  Indians  replied,  "  are  a 
great  way  off,  and  we  can  not  bring  them  through 
the  snow  ;  and  your  soldiers  fired  upon  us  first ; 
the  house  took  fire  by  accident.  These  are  our 
answers  to  you." 

Captain  Waldron,  unwilling  to  exasperate 
the  Indians  by  useless  bloodshed,  and  finding 
that  no  captives  could  be  recovered,  sailed  to 
the  mouth  of  the  Kennebec,  then  the  Sagada- 
hock.  Here  he  established  a  garrison  on  the 
eastern  bank  of  the  river,  opposite  the  foot  of 
Arrowsic  Island.  With  the  remainder  of  his 
force  he  proceeded  in  two  vessels  to  Pemaquid. 
Here  he  met  a  band  of  Indians,  and  sending  to 
them  a  flag  of  truce,  which  they  respected,  the 
two  parties  entered  into  a  conference.  The 
Indians,  under  the  guise  of  peace,  were  plotting 
a  general  massacre.  Though  both  parties  had 
agreed  to  meet  without  arms,  the  savages  had 
concealed  a  number  of  weapons,  which  at  a 
given  signal  they  could  grasp. 

Captain  Waldron,  suspecting  treachery,  was 
looking  around  with  an  eagle  eye,  when  he  saw 


408  KING   PHILIP.  [1678. 

Treachery  discovered.  A  fierce  fig'nt.  Renewed  depredations, 

peering  from  the  leaves  the  head  of  a  lance. 
Going  directly  to  the  spot,  he  saw  a  large  num- 
ber of  weapons  concealed.  He  immediately 
brandished  one  in  the  air,  exclaiming, 

"Perfidious  wretches  1  You  intended  to 
massacre  us  all." 

A  stout  Indian  sprang  forward  and  endeav- 
ored to  wrest  the  weapon  from  Waldron's  hand. 
Immediately  a  scene  of  terrible  confusion  en- 
sued. All  engaged  in  a  hand  to  hand  fight,  with 
any  weapons  which  could  be  grasped.  The 
Indians  were  soon  overcome,  and  fled,  some  to 
the  woods  and  others  to  their  canoes.  Eleven 
Indians  were  killed  in  this  fray,  and  five  were 
taken  captive.  The  expedition  then  returned 
to  Arrowsic,  where  they  put  on  board  their  ves- 
sels some  guns,  anchors,  and  other  articles 
which  had  escaped  the  flames,  and  then  set  sail 
for  Boston. 

A?  soon  as  the  snow  melted,  the  savages  re- 
newed their  depredations,  but  Maine  was  now 
nearly  depopulated.  With  the  exception  of 
the  garrison  opposite  Arrowsic,  there  was  no 
settlement  east  of  Portland.  There  was  a  small 
fort  at  Casco,  and  a  few  people  in  garrison  at 
Black  Point  and  Winter  Harbor.  A  few  in- 
trepid settlers  still  remained  in  the  towns  of 


16J8.]  CONCLUSION   OF  THE  WAR.  409 

Peace  implored.  Terms  of  the  treaty. 

York,  Wells,  Kittery,  and  South  Berwick.  The 
Indians  harassed  them  during  the  whole  sum- 
mer with  robberies,  conflagrations,  and  mur- 
ders. Winter  again  came  with  ite  storms  and 
its  intensity  of  cold.  The  united  sagamores 
now,  with  apparent  sincerity,  implored  peace. 
On  the  12th  of  February,  1678,  Squando,  with 
all  the  sachems  of  the  tribes  upon  the  Andros- 
coggin  and  the  Kennebec,  met  the  commission- 
ers from  Massachusetts  at  the  fort  at  Casco. 
The  English  were  so  anxious  for  peace  that 
they  agreed  to  the  following  terms,  which  many 
considered  very  humiliating,  but  which  were 
nevertheless  vastly  preferable  to  the  longer 
continuance  of  this  horrible  warfare. 

1.  The  captives  were  to  be  immediately  re- 
leased, without  ransom.  2.  All  offenses  on 
both  sides,  of  every  kind,  were  to  be  forgiven 
and  forgotten.  3.  The  English  were  to  pay 
the  Indians,  as  rent  for  the  land,  a  peck  of  corn 
for  every  English  family,  and  for  Major  Phil- 
lips, of  Saco,  who  was  a  great  proprietor,  a 
bushel  of  corn. 

Thus  this  dreadful  war  was  brought  to  a 
close.  It  is  estimated  that  during  its  continu- 
ance six  hundred  men  lost  their  lives,  twelve 
hundred  houses  were  burned,  and  eight  thou- 


410  KING  PHILIP.  [1678. 

Terrible  amount  of  misery  created. 

sand  cattle  destroyed.  But  the  amount  of 
misery  created  can  never  be  told  or  imagined. 
The  midnight  assault,  the  awful  conflagration, 
the  slaughter  of  women  and  children,  the  hor- 
rors of  captivity  in  the  wilderness,  the  impov- 
erishment and  moaning  of  widows  and  orphans, 
the  diabolical  torture,  piercing  the  wilderness 
with  the  shrill  shriek  of  mortal  agony,  the  ter- 
ror, universal  and  uninterrupted  by  day  or  by 
night — all,  all  combined  in  composing  a  scene 
in  the  awful  tragedy  of  human  life  which  the 
mind  of  Deity  alone  can  comprehend. 


THE  END. 


SRUF    OCT  0 
QU 


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